After All
by GejimayuGirl
Summary: New title - used to be "Is It Too Late?" Rock Lee reflects on Haruno Sakura and the friendship that has emerged between them. Can he tell her how he still feels after all these years? Set during the Shippuuden timeline leading up to and shortly after Pein arc. Contains spoilers.
1. Determination

Author's Note: I do not own Naruto or its characters... sad, but true. I'd love to have a Lee-kun of my very own.

I've edited this a few times since the first time I published it mainly to fix tense errors and tighten up sentence structure. 10 points if you find the Brat Pack reference. :-p

Japanese glossary:

Sensei: teacher

* * *

**Chapter 1: Determination**

There was something I had to do. I knew I must, or else I would self-destruct. I was full of energy and passion and determination, but above all else, I was filled to the bursting point with love. This love I felt seemed as old as time and yet fresh as the dew on the grass that squeaked under my feet as I took my morning run.

It sounded trite to say it out loud, but Haruno Sakura truly was the girl of my dreams. I knew from the second she crash-landed in my world that I would never be the same. I made a complete fool of myself and faced rejection and humiliation countless times, but through either sheer determination or pure stupidity (my teammates would choose the latter), I was relentless.

I exasperated Tenten many a time with my lovelorn antics. "I know you can't change the way you feel, Lee, but I don't want to see you get hurt by her again. _Please_ just let it go." As sincere and concerned as this sentiment was from her, I did not listen. I just kept on chasing the object of my affection. I even stubbornly ignored Neji's attempts to berate me into abandoning my endeavors.

Gai Sensei was the father I never had. I respected him so much, and I am to this day still astounded by his enduring spirit and drive. However, I realized that he was not one to consult for relationship advice. "You must continue to pursue her with zeal, Lee," my mentor bellowed with glistening eyes. "Soon, she will see what a terrific catch you are. It is the only youthful way to win a lady's heart! Yosh!"

I appreciated Gai Sensei's support and confidence in me, but one could only hear Gai-isms like that and take them seriously so many times. He was a very knowledgeable man and an extremely skilled ninja, but Casanova he was not.

I obviously needed to try a new approach. I kept scaring Sakura away with my fervent displays of affection. I had heard some girls found this type of behavior endearing (Something about a duck? I did not get it), but evidently she did not.

Tenten gave me an idea during one of our long talks. After swearing me to secrecy, she had told me of her feelings for Neji. She confessed with a sigh, "I don't know how he does it... he's always there when I need him, but not clingy. He's a faithful friend, but still kind of mysterious." She wore an expression that I had never seen before, but upon reflection, I was sure I looked the exact same way when thinking about Sakura.

I decided to cool down my pursuit for a while. I had no intention of giving up, but I needed to step back and assess a couple of things. First, was this a silly crush that would go away, or the real thing? Second, maybe absence (or at least less presence) would make Sakura's heart grow fonder…..

All right – that was asking a bit too much. But maybe she would be more receptive to a slightly less blatant and bumbling guy than my previous self.

And so it was that Rock Lee, the obsessed weirdo, became Rock Lee, Haruno Sakura's friend. We were not best friends, but when we saw each other, it was never tense the way it had been. I really enjoyed her company, and I liked to think she felt the same. It was nice to be able to have a relationship beyond admiring her from afar. Of course, this just reminded me of how I cared for her and it made my heart ache. It was a challenge to resist my romantic impulses, despite my strong will. I had a very difficult time staying "in friend territory," as Tenten put it.

Dear sweet mercy, I loved her. I had always loved her. I thought it might fade with time as we grew older, but I found myself living for stolen moments, fighting alongside her on a mission, or seemingly casual conversations in the village that were in fact major events to me. I never knew one person could monopolize my thoughts this way, even after all that time. This is how I knew what I felt for her was real.

Therefore, I, Rock Lee, Konoha's Handsome Green Beast (more like Konoha's Funny-Looking Green Geek…. Can you believe I actually called myself that?), decided to gather all the courage I had and try again. I would once again tell Haruno Sakura of my feelings for her. I would tell her that my boyhood crush had matured into something much greater despite the time and space that had passed between us. She would know of the fire that still blazed in my chest for her…. She would know that I was still completely and unconditionally in love with her.

I just prayed she did not laugh in my face.


	2. Encounter

A/N: I still don't own Naruto or its characters, not even Lee…. le sigh.

Japanese glossary:

-san: suffix added to the end of one's name as a formality, like "Miss" or "Mr." – maybe a little less formal than that….. people who are more knowledgeable than I am in Japanese, please take the liberty of correcting me if I'm wrong.

Sensei: teacher

Konnichiwa: Hello

Gomen: An apology

Gomen nasai: A more formal, serious apology than "gomen" alone.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Encounter**

It was a youthful spring afternoon when I decided to put my resolution into action. The first step, I thought on my way home from morning training, was to initiate a conversation with her outside of battle or waiting in line at Ichiraku.

'_Much easier said than done… but it might be less daunting after a shower and a change of clothes… Maybe some flowers?'_ I thought. _'No. Tenten told me not to try too hard…'_

"Lee-san!"

As if my thoughts had materialized of their own accord, there she was. The girl I had been infatuated with for years waved to me from a bench in the academy courtyard as she called out over the noises of children playing. "Konnichiwa!"

"Konnichiwa, Sakura-san," I replied as I approached her and bowed, temporarily forgetting Tenten's advice.

"It's been ages! I'm substitute–teaching for the day and my class is out here for recess – care to join me for a few minutes and catch up?" She patted the space beside her, and I sank into the spot, both grateful for a break and thrilled to be so close to her.

She smiled that wonderful smile that makes the sun envious and spoke again.

"I haven't seen you around in a while. How have you been? Looks like Gai Sensei's been keeping you busy, at least." She giggled at my sweaty, disheveled hair.

Feeling an embarrassed heat in my cheeks, I quickly tried to smooth my damp mane into place, but to no avail.

"Gomen, Sakura-san…. I wish I were more presentable."

"No, really, it's fine. You can't always look like a model, y'know…"

Was she flirting with me?

A blush warmed her face and she fidgeted with her hands in her lap. "Erm…. I mean…. You're going to get sweaty when you work out. It just happens. No big deal."

Putting on the coolest, least-disappointed voice I could muster, I replied, "I knew what you meant, Sakura-san… Please do not be embarr-"

_**THWAP.**_

"Lee! Are you all right?"

I had no idea what had just happened. I heard laughter coming from a cluster of children a few feet away and my cheek was stinging. The angel beside me stared with a mixture of shock and amusement. I, Rock Lee, one of the fastest ninja in all of Konoha, had just been hit in the face with a wayward kickball in front of the woman I loved.

"Now, settle down, you guys…. Lee-san is going to be fine, but you shouldn't laugh – that's not nice."

"Ooooohhhhh….. Sensei's got a boyfriend!" I heard a little girl say in a singsongy voice.

This just caused my companion's previous blush to deepen. "Now you stop that…. Don't be silly – we're old friends."

It was too late, though. The little girl had gotten her playmates in on the game and they were all chanting gleefully, "Sensei's got a boyfriend…. Sensei's got a boyfriend….. Sensei's got a boyfriend…."

"I... think I should go," I told her quietly.

"Yeah," she whispered apprehensively, not wanting the boisterous young ninja-in-training to hear, "Might make it easier to calm them down that way…. Gomen nasai!"

"It is quite all right, Sakura-san." I felt extremely guilty about this turn of events. "Perhaps I will talk with you another time."

"Sure... see you later."

Great. I blew it again.


	3. Schemes

Author's note: As much as I wish I could take credit for creating Naruto and his universe, I can't. Sadness.

Japanese Glossary:

Sensei: teacher

Arigato: Thank you

-sama: a suffix applied to the end of a superior's or elder's name

* * *

**Chapter 3: Schemes**

My first order of business the next day was to dissect the entire encounter with Tenten. If Gai Sensei was my father figure, Tenten was my infinitely understanding sister. I never had any real siblings, and my parents died on a mission when I was very young, so my teammates and teacher were all I had in the way of "family."

I started telling her my story at a secluded table in the back of Ichiraku.

"….You got hit ... with a kickball…? Are you serious?" She almost choked on her ramen. "Wow, Lee, you really are a geek."

"Arigato, Tenten. I did not know that about myself," I responded, trying to sound stern but failing miserably. I could not be angry with her. She was just too cute, especially when she giggled like that. "Yes. A kickball hit me in the face, and I had to leave because all the children were laughing at me."

"Awwww, poor baby…" she patted me on the head as she feigned deep sympathy. "…but seriously, what did she do?"

I told her about the chanting and my escape.

"That's kids for ya. I'm sure Sakura didn't bat an eyelash, though. She's grown so confident and mature under Tsunade-sama."

"Well, that is just it - she seemed a bit flirtatious when I was talking to her. I dismissed it as wishful thinking, but when the students started teasing her, she appeared to be kind of flustered by it."

"Hmmm…" Tenten scrunched up her panda-bear face in thought. "You really think she was flirting with you?"

"Well, it is hard to tell. She invited me to sit beside her, and then she gave me what I think was a compliment. Then she blushed…."

"Yatta!" Tenten squeaked jubilantly, making me almost tip over in my chair. She continued, ignoring my momentary peril. "A blush is a dead giveaway, Lee! This is good. Very good. You're making progress now."

"What should I do next?"

"Well, I strongly suggest you try to see her again soon….. but NOT when she's teaching." Another one of those giggles that do not permit me to keep a straight face emanated from the panda-girl. "Maybe you should try visiting her when she's working with Tsunade-sama one day….. no, that's not good. Pissing off a girl's boss is not the way to make a good impression….. hmmmm…. Oh! I've got it! I'll invite her over for tea. Then you can just 'coincidentally' show up while she's there." She gave me a conspiratorial wink.

"I could invite Neji to come along with me," I offered.

"Oh, he'd never go for it. He's too busy training and being important…. and strong…. And gorgeous… and not interested in me…"

The sweetest girl I knew dropped her head in sad thought for a moment, then clicked back into "matchmaker mode."

"But this is about you, not me," she smiled warmly. I knew it was a fake smile, but I did not belabor the subject. She really did not give me the opportunity.

"C'mon!" She urged as she took my hand and pulled me toward the door, "We've got planning to do!"


	4. Really?

A/N: Still don't own Naruto. Curses!

Japanese Glossary:

-kun: an informal suffix, usually applied to a boy's name.

-san: a formal-familiar suffix applied to the end of acquaintances' names.

-chan: an informal suffix, usually applied to a girl's name.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Really?**

"Lee-kun…"

I turned to see my sweet cherry blossom sauntering my way.

"You called me Lee….kun?"

"Well, yes, silly…" My angel gazed at me, a puzzled expression on her face. "You are my boyfriend, after all….. Do I have to wait until we're married to drop the formalities?" She emitted the only laugh in the world that surpassed Tenten's in cuteness.

"Anything you wish, Sakura-san…"

"...chan….. Call me Sakura-chan, Lee-kun."

"All right…." I softly touched her shoulder and she, like a magnet, moved toward me. "Sakura-chan…."

Just as our lips were about to touch, I woke up.

Curse it all….. I could not have the love life I wanted even in my own dreams.


	5. Matchmaker

Author's Note: Still don't own any Naruto characters….

I'm writing this chapter as Sakura. It was a lot of fun to write. I think I'm going to switch back and forth between Sakura and Lee's points of view from here on out. It's a lot easier for me to write as a girl, y'know, since I am one. I'm horrible at writing guys, but I think Lee's a good one to start out with because he's got the sensitivity and the passion and all that jazz. Anyway, writing as Sakura gives the story another perspective and gives me an occasional respite from trying to think like a man. It's win-win. Yay!

Japanese Glossary:

Sensei: teacher

-sama: a suffix applied to the end of a superior's name (in Tsunade's case, Hokage and Sakura's mentor)

Konnichiwa: Hello

-kun: an informal suffix, usually applied to a boy's name.

All my knowledge of the Japanese language comes from watching anime. Please correct me if I'm wrong on anything.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Matchmaker**

"Sakura!" Tenten squealed as she opened the door to me. "I'm so glad you're here. I have a surprise for you."

"Is that so?" I cocked an eyebrow, wondering what would come next. A cool new weapon she had bought and mastered? A CD from some silly American band she'd become obsessed with? A sidesplitting rendition of her sensei's most recent "youthful" lecture?

Initially, I'd simply been happy to be invited over by a good friend I hadn't spent much quality time with lately. I anticipated nothing out of the ordinary, but then I saw Tenten's expression crinkle up into that _I'm-up-to-something-and-I'm-going-to-enjoy-making-you-squirm-about-it_ grin.

"Yeah, but you can't know about it yet…." She giggled. I knew right away that I was in for an interesting time.

"So, Lee told me about his run-in with your kids the other day," my bouncy friend prodded with a smirk as I took off my shoes and followed her out of the front hall and into the main room of her apartment. "I bet he was cute as an embarrassed button when he got hit by that ball."

I bit my lip. "I feel kind of bad about how they acted. I have a hard time keeping them in line, especially since I'm just a sub…. Wait a second. Why are we talking about Lee? I figured by now, you'd have made me listen to all the details of how beautiful and perfect Neji looked today. You really should just go ahead and ask him out, y'know. What's there to lose?"

She changed the subject. "Ooooh….. then you could go out with Lee and we could double-date!"

"Yeah, right, Ten…. Like he even thinks of me that way anymore. That's ancient history."

My feelings for him were changing rapidly... and much too late, I thought with a sigh. Rock Lee had re-emerged in my life lately and quickly gained my attention. Even after all this time, I felt terrible for rejecting him so often; I was even downright mean to him a few times. We'd become casual friends, and the past was forgiven, but it still bothered me, especially since I'd wasted so much time on Sasuke, who turned out to be the biggest jerk on the planet… and a traitor to the village, to boot. I could have had a chance with the nicest guy in the village.

As an extra karmic bite in the behind, the years had been very good to Lee. He'd become excruciatingly hot these days. I'd been covertly eyeballing him for the better part of the past six months, but having him sitting next to me that day covered in perspiration and dirt was especially, and oddly, exciting…. kind of gross, really, but I couldn't help it. I blamed it on pheromones, but I knew deep down that it was more than that. The green bodysuit that I used to think looked stupid gave me a great view of his physique's every contour. My thoughts of his wet, unruly hair and his muscled chest rising and falling with his breath were interrupted by Tenten's response.

"I wouldn't be so sure…. He seemed pretty excited to see you when he told me about it, despite the way it ended." She giggled again, and I started to wonder if this Lee-centric pattern of conversation had something to do with my "surprise". She was closer to him than she was to me, and I was sure he'd told her every bit of what happened last time we saw each other. She was a bit of a busybody, but in a well-meaning, motherly way - trying to take care of everyone but herself, especially in the romance department. She would not actually have him show up here, right?

My suspicions were confirmed when I saw not two cups on the coffee table, but three. She looked at me with innocent eyes, acknowledging my realization.

"You invited _HIM_ here without telling me?" I exclaimed. "I look terrible!" I had thought that I'd just be hanging out with Tenten, so I hadn't changed out of the clothes I wore to clean and organize Tsunade-sama's library that day: ripped overalls, a faded Hello Kitty t-shirt, and my oldest, most worn-out pair of sneakers. I'd covered my hair with a bandanna, not even bothering to brush it. "I am in NO WAY ready to see…."

_**DING-DONG!**_

"Oh, crap." I scrambled to figure out what to do next…. Lee had evolved into this fabulous male specimen, and there was absolutely nothing different about me, or at least that's how I felt at the moment. I knew I'd accomplished a lot… Hell, I killed a member of Akatusuki! But right now, in my mind, I was still that same dumb, weak, unattractive girl with the large forehead. What the hell was Tenten thinking? All I could do was run upstairs and look for something from her closet to put on while practicing my "drop dead" glare for when Lee wasn't looking.

"Take your time," she called to my retreating back. "I can play hostess for a few minutes."

As I started shedding my work clothes, the front door opened. "Oh, konnichiwa, Lee-kun!" I heard my panda-faced companion chirp below. "Won't you please come in?"


	6. Surprise

A/N: I'm still not responsible for the Naruto series or any of the characters. Just paying tribute with this little tale and hoping I do them justice.

I hope I'm not going too far with description and dialogue to the detriment of the plot, but the banter between Tenten and Lee is just too much fun. Lee's so cute when he gets embarrassed. Plus I HAD to incorporate the squirrel somehow! :-p

*****Spoiler alert – if you aren't up to a certain point in the manga or anime, you might want to catch up before reading this. I am incorporating a death into this story that actually has occurred in the series - one of the people Pein kills.*****

Japanese Glossary:

Doshi: Comrade. I thought it was a good name for Lee-kun's squirrel companion.

Chuunin: literally means "middle ninja" – what the ninja academy students become when they graduate and take the exams

-obasan: Aunt

-kun: an informal suffix, usually applied to a boy's name.

Konnichiwa: Hello

-sama: a suffix applied to the end of a superior's/elder's name

Domo: An informal way to say "hi" to a person you are friends with/close to

* * *

**Chapter 6: Surprise**

As I approached Tenten's door, I told Doshi, "I really hope Sakura-san loves animals as much as I have been led to believe. I would hate to frighten her." He chittered excitedly from his perch on my shoulder.

Doshi was my pet squirrel. I rescued him from a group of ninja from the Sound village during the chuunin exams. I owed him a much-needed and overdue outing. He was thrilled to be going to Tenten-obasan's house. Tenten loved Doshi. She kept a supply of raisins and peanuts in the pantry just for him.

I rang the doorbell and waited for my teammate to answer the door. I saw Sakura through the window, her cotton candy hair under a scarf, ascending the stairs, clad in…. oh, my, were they overalls? She was already giving Tenten a run for her money in the cuteness department, and I had yet to enter the house! It did bother me a bit that she seemed panicked. She must have felt the need to change clothing. She still did not realize that she was perpetually beautiful, regardless of something as superficial as clothes.

Tenten opened the door, exclaiming brightly, "Oh, Konnichiwa, Lee-kun! Won't you please come in?" I obliged and Doshi leapt into her arms.

"Domo, Doshi-kun!" she greeted him with her special, for-Doshi-only baby voice. I could not resist chuckling as the two rubbed their noses together.

"So… have I scared her away already?" I asked.

Tenten pooh-poohed the notion. "Of course not!" she said. "She's actually kind of aflutter about the idea of having you here."

"Really?"

"Yes! She's upstairs now trying to find something else to wear. She wasn't trying to impress _me_, but the game has changed." She bounced her eyebrows at me emphatically. The effect was enhanced by Doshi's new position on top of her head, between the buns in her hair. "I just hope she can find something that's not too small in the chest. She's more well-endowed than I am."

I felt the heat creeping into my face at the mention of Sakura's breasts. "Is that kind of talk absolutely necessary, Tenten? It is crude and improper!"

"Stop acting like such a prude! Don't tell me you've never looked at 'em. You're a guy!" Another suggestive smirk from my tormentor.

"A gentleman does not speak of such things," I replied tersely, hoping to change the subject. I added in an attempt at humor, "…especially in front of little ones." I indicated the furry mass atop the perverted girl's head.

"He's an animal – he knows about sex stuff. It's instinct!" she countered, making me even more uncomfortable than before, a feat I did not believe possible.

"Be that as it may, I would really prefer not to discuss this anymore." My voice cracked and quavered as I tried to clear my mind of all less-than-honorable thoughts. I knew I had to be redder than the sun on the Japanese flag at this point, and I really did not want Sakura to see me in that state.

"Discuss what?"

She was on her way down to us. '_Oh, no,' _I thought. '_What am I supposed to say now_?'

I looked to Tenten, pleading with my eyes for her to come up with a convincing fib.

"Oh, I was just giving Lee here a bit of ribbing over his recent kickball game." She playfully punched my shoulder and Doshi seemed to chortle with her. Sometimes I wondered if it was a good idea to let them spend so much time together. I always had a suspicion that they were mocking me behind my back.

I averted my eyes to the floor as Sakura approached.

"Oh, yeah…" the pink-haired beauty stated flatly. "I still feel terrible about that, Lee-san. I couldn't get children to obey me if they came with remote controls."

"Oh, it is all right. It is not your fault," I replied, still focused on the carpet.

"Having a little brother has taught me some tricks," Tenten interjected. "I can help you out."

As the two continued to chat, I lifted my head to observe Sakura for the first time since her descent. My breath caught in my throat. She was wearing what most would consider a very plain outfit: jeans and a red tank top. However, as Tenten had warned, the chest area of the shirt hugged her more tightly than her usual attire. I could not help but stare for a fleeting moment.

"Lee-kun," Tenten broke through my reverie. I almost jumped, I was so startled.

'_Great - I have been caught!' _I mentally chastised myself._ 'Some fine ninja I am!'_

"Sakura and I were about to have some tea. Would you care for some?"

"Y-Yes, please," I stammered, hoping that the ladies had not seen my few seconds of "maleness," as Tenten would call it.

Later, she would tease, "I think you managed to get your jaw off the floor before Sakura saw." I blamed her for putting such uncouth thoughts into my head in the first place.

Soon, we were all seated with our cups of tea. I was pleased to see that Doshi had taken a liking to Sakura. He was curled up in her lap, nibbling happily on a peanut, and we were discussing the latest bit of knowledge about friendship that the overly cerebral Sai had gathered from his reading.

"He's finally starting to pick up on the fact that when you give a friend a nickname, it's not supposed to be mean," she explained to Tenten and me. "He's not calling me Ugly Dog anymore." She laughed and tucked her now uncovered hair behind her ear. How anyone could even jokingly refer to Sakura as "ugly" was a mystery to me.

There was a sudden, loud knock on the door. It was Shizune, another medical specialist and assistant to the Hokage. "Sakura…" she said gravely, "Come quickly. Something terrible has happened."

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.

"It's Jiraiya-sama."


	7. Advice

Author's note: Still don't own Naruto or any of the characters.

I've just been struck with a huge wave of inspiration since I got back. I've already written scenes that won't appear for a really long while. I thought I'd give a conversation between Lee and Shikamaru a try in this chapter. I love writing Shika. He is my second favorite Naruto guy, second to Lee, of course.

I really hope you like this chapter.

Japanese Glossary:

Konnichiwa: Hello

-san: suffix added to the end of one's name as a formality, like "Miss" or "Mr." – maybe a little less formal than that….. people who are more knowledgeable than I am in Japanese, please take the liberty of correcting me if I'm wrong.

-sama: a suffix applied to a superior's or elder's name.

Arigato: Thank you

* * *

**Chapter 7: Advice**

I wandered through the village that evening, worrying about what had happened to Jiraya-sama, what Sakura was doing, and all of the other mysteries surrounding the abrupt appearance of her coworker. All the shops were closed. I had no particular destination in mind; I was just walking so I could think without being cooped up in my tiny apartment.

When I reached the edge of town, I noticed Nara Shikamaru reclining on a grassy hill. Something urged me to approach him.

"Konnichiwa, Shikamaru-san."

"Oi, Lee… what's up?

"I was just passing by and thought it rude to not acknowledge your presence,'" I lied, not yet knowing my true reason for stopping.

The lazy genius opened his eyes and looked up at me. "You look like you've got something heavy on your mind. How troublesome."

"You would be correct," I replied.

"Girl problems?" the dark-haired slacker guessed.

"Maybe."

"Sakura?"

"How on Earth did you know?"

"You've been fixated on that girl for years. It's obvious, even after all this time. Just ask her out already! You two are the 'will-they-won't-they' couple of the century."

"But I am not as cool as you are. I cannot hope to get a woman as amazing as Sakura-san."

The Cool One scoffed. "I used to think I wasn't good enough for Temari, man, but things change. It bothered me too much to not know what she thought of me, so I just went for it. Why the hell not? It worked out for me. Why couldn't it work for you?"

"Might I remind you again of the coolness factor?"

"Dude." Shikamaru sat up and actually looked into my eyes. "You can't worry about stuff like that when it comes to love. It's all or nothing. I've been happier in the past 7 months with Temari than I was in my whole life leading up to it. You have to put your pride on the line. That's what love's all about. I've seen the way you look at her. There's no denying that she's hot, but what _you_ feel for her is more than physical. I can tell."

"That much is true. She is beautiful, but I love all of her – not just her looks."

"So, go for it! Jiraiya's dead." I gasped at the sudden, seemingly non-sequitur statement. He let it roll off his tongue as if talking about the weather.

"Especially now, with the threat of the guy who killed him striking at any moment, you really can't afford to wait. Even as we speak, you're running out of time. Don't you want her to know what you feel for her before the shit hits the fan?"

I thought about it. "I will be busy helping to protect the village in the event of an attack, and she will be busy healing the injured from battle. I wanted to wait for just the right moment, but maybe sooner is better than later."

"That's the spirit." Shikamaru grinned as he leaned back into the grass once more.

"Arigato."

"No problem." He lit a cigarette. "Good luck, Lee."


	8. Comfort

Author's note: I still can't take credit for creating Naruto, any of his castmates, or any of the actual story they follow.

This contains references to Naruto's reactions to a certain person's death. Just FYI.

Japanese Glossary:

-baachan: Granny; old lady

Ero Sennin: "Pervy Sage," Naruto's nickname for Jiraiya

Gejimayu: "Bushy Brow," Naruto's nickname for Lee

* * *

**Chapter 8: Comfort**

I found Naruto later that evening, exactly where I thought I would: the old training ground where Kakashi Sensei had first taught us as 12-year-old academy graduates. He slumped at the base of a tree where he and Sasuke had competed many a time in climbing races. He looked exhausted.

"Hey, Sakura."

"Hi." I tried to put on a comforting smile.

We looked at each other, wordless.

"Look, Sakura... about earlier in Tsunade-baachan's office..."

"It's okay," I soothed. "You don't have to say anything." I lowered myself to sit beside him. I took his hand and he leaned his forehead against mine. We sat that way in silence. I knew he needed this. He needed a familiar touch to keep him grounded right now.

The jinchuuriki sighed. "This whole thing with Ero Sennin and Pein has got me thinking," he started hoarsely. "I can't wait around to tell people who matter to me how I feel about them. I have to... live for the moment." As he said this, he looked up at me, his aqua eyes full of hope.

His lips were a fraction of an inch away from mine when I turned my head and he caught my cheek instead.

"Naru…" I used my affectionate nickname for him to soften the blow of rejection. "Don't do this to yourself. Not now."

"But you're someone who really matters to me and I have to make sure you know that," he replied with a wounded expression. "I love you, Sakura."

My chest felt like it had been stabbed. I hated saying this to him, especially now. "I... I know you do. I love you, too, but not in the way you want me to. Gomen nasai."

It was true. I loved Naruto with all my heart; just not romantically. Not that there weren't plenty of things about him to fall in love with. He had grown to be a mature, intelligent, powerful and passionate man. He was easy on the eyes, too. He'd become very handsome and filled out in all the right places. Women were starting to swoon over him the way all the girls in the academy used to over Sasuke. He was oblivious, of course, which just added another adorable dimension to him. That annoying but cute "doofus" side of him was still there sometimes. But despite all of his charms, the idea of being with Naruto seemed wrong to me. Incestuous.

I could feel him deflate onto my shoulder, defeated. "You're so important to me, Naruto, and I will always be here for you, but you're like a brother to me. Besides," I added as I rubbed his back in little circles, "You're going through a really horrible time in your life. Even if I did feel that way about you, I wouldn't take advantage. You're not in the right state of mind."

"I guess you're right," he surrendered. "Will you stay with me a little bit longer, though? I promise I won't get fresh." With that statement he looked up with a foxy wink.

"Okay," I said with a laugh as we clasped hands again.

"Sakura?" I heard after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"Is there someone else?"

"Huh?"

"Are you interested in another guy?"

I really did not want to answer this question. "Well... I mean... uh..."

"It's Gejimayu-kun, isn't it?"

My mouth fell open at the blond's assumption. "What? What makes you think that?"

"Don't play dumb, Saku," he smirked at me. "I've seen the way you look at him. It's the way I've always wanted you to look at me... all dreamy-like."

"What? I do not!"

"Well, maybe you don't realize it, but you do."

"Is it really that obvious?"

"Yep."

"I don't even know how it happened," I admitted. "He used to bug the hell out of me, but it's like he changed overnight. I really don't know what to do."

"Tell him."

"No way! He'd laugh at me. He'd probably think it's funny that I'm getting my comeuppance for turning him down so many times."

"This is _Rock Lee_ we're talking about here," Naruto reasoned. "He's not spiteful like that."

"Yeah, maybe, but... I just don't know." I threw my hands in the air in a sign of frustration.

He stood up. "I should probably go. I need to at least try to get some sleep."

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?" I asked as I rose.

"Yeah... Thanks for everything. I'm glad you came to see me."

"Don't mention it," I replied, holding back a lump in my throat. He was being so brave during this whole terrible ordeal. I was in awe of his strength.

"Have a good night."

"You too."

"I'm serious, though," he added before leaving. "About telling him how you feel. It's the only way. You never know when it could be too late. Think about it." He smiled sadly and turned to walk away. "See you, Sakura."


	9. Grief

Author's note: I was thinking of changing the title again… I seem to keep using the phrase "after all this time" when referring to the evolution of Lee's and Sakura's feelings for each other, so it seems like an idea for a good name. Let me know what you all think.

Japanese Glossary:

Sensei: Teacher

_Icha Icha Paradaisu_: "Make Out Paradise," one of the risqué books Jiraiya authored.

Sennin: Sage

Jounin: Advanced ninja

Naruto = not mine. :(

* * *

**Chapter 9: Grief**

The funeral was a well-attended affair, as expected. The entire village turned out to pay their respects to the fallen sennin. My teammates and I sat toward the back of the crowd, watching Gai Sensei as he attempted to console his "friendly rival," Kakashi. Gai Sensei seemed to be a lot more emotional than the other man, but it was the thought that counted, I supposed. The silver-haired jounin was a man of few words and little display, but one could tell he appreciated the moral support after losing his friend and favorite author. Later, he would approach the grave marker and place his care-worn copy of _Icha Icha Paradaisu_ on the dirt in front of it.

My heart broke for the Hokage as she doggedly attempted to remain stoic. She was unable to speak when she was called to give the eulogy. She sent Naruto to the front of the assembly to speak for her while she shook with silent sobs. Shizune helplessly watched her mistress, unable to do anything to soothe her. Naruto did not fare much better, breaking down in the middle of his speech. Nobody seemed to mind the lack of self-control on the part of the mourners; there was a dark cloud of grief hanging over us all. The eccentric toad warrior was loved by everyone who knew him.

Eventually, Naruto was able to gather himself together enough to finish speaking, then he took his seat beside Sakura, who enfolded him in her arms as he sniffed and rubbed his eyes like a child. I knew they were friends and teammates. She was probably merely comforting him, but I could not help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Maybe Shikamaru was right. Maybe I had already missed my window. I tried to push the thought from my mind.

I felt Tenten squeeze my hand and looked over to see fresh tears threatening to spill from her almond eyes. I gently brushed them away with my thumb and hugged her. She was definitely going to need some "Doshi therapy" later, I decided with a sigh. I thought I saw Sakura watching us with a disappointed expression, but dismissed it as a figment of my imagination.

I clearly spotted a scowl on Neji's face. He had told me recently, "Stop being so chivalrous toward her… You're making me look bad." He blamed me because Tenten did not go to him for advice and solace as much as she came to me.

I looked away from him. I did not care what he or anyone else thought of me at the moment. I just desperately wanted to ease her pain.

"A-Arigato, Lee," she whimpered.

"It is nothing. This is what friends do for one another." I smiled at her through tears of my own.

Tenten was uncharacteristically quiet when I walked her home. She let me lead her down the street, clutching my arm as if she might be carried away by the wind if she let go.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"Yeah," she answered, even though it did not sound as if even she believed it. "It's just been a rough day and I'm tired."

"Did Doshi cheer you up at least a little bit?"

"Of course," she smiled. "I love Doshi... and I love you."

"Well, that is..." I stopped walking. "Wait. What?"

"Oh!" She dropped my arm and clapped her hand over her mouth, shocked at her own words. "Gomen nasai, Lee... that just flew out without my even thinking about it. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"No," I turned to face her. "We need to talk about this. What is going on, Tenten? I thought you loved Neji." My mind was reeling.

"I thought I did, too, but... we've been spending so much time together, and... you're so sweet to me. You're my best friend. We have so much in common and we get along great. You're everything I could ever want in a guy. You make me feel safe and warm. I can't believe I never noticed it before today." There was a gleam in her eye that was new to me. Even when she was talking about Neji, I had never seen this look.

As I absorbed this revelation, her head sank, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. "But... I know this can't happen. I can't do it to Sakura. She... she really likes you."

I, once again, did not believe my ears. "So, Sakura and Naruto..."

"...are just friends," she finished my thought for me. She looked very uncomfortable. "Lee, I want you to forget _everything_ I just said."

"You know I cannot do that."

"_Please_ try."

Her epiphany had awakened one in me. It felt like my heart had split in two. Sakura was what I had wanted for so long that I had not taken the time to notice the amazing woman right in front of me.

Tenten appreciated and understood me. She challenged me. She gave me a sense of self worth when nobody else seemed to care. She not only allowed me to take care of and protect her; she _wanted_ me to (even though she did not really need it). She made me feel like a man.

We were just across the street from her house now. "Well... I'll... see you later, Lee." She said the last few words quickly, trying to turn away before I could see her eyes well up with tears.

"Tenten... wait..." I reached for her and did the most impulsive thing I had ever done in my life.


	10. Remorse

Author's note: I had another chapter written here before, but it was completely OOC and all wrong... so here's the new chapter. Very short, I know. Sorry.

Thanks to makura_moderski for all the helpful comments. Seriously, I forget details sometimes and it's nice to have someone who will remind me.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Remorse**

Well, I _almost _reached for her and did the most impulsive thing I had ever done in my life… until I realized what a terrible idea it would be. If I had kissed her then, it would have been all wrong. It would have been rushed and insincere. I was far too confused to allow myself that kind of rash behavior. Instead, I could only stand there, feeling like an utter cad as she walked away.

"Why must I ruin everything?" I asked the empty street.

In just a few fleeting moments, I had broken Tenten's heart. She had _confessed her love for me_, and my first reaction was to pawn her off onto Neji so I could keep pursuing Sakura. I could not take off the blinders and be a friend to her when she needed me.

All I wanted to do at that moment was run. I circled the village for hours, turning the afternoon's events over and over in my head.


	11. Reconciliation

Author's Note:

I am really having fun writing this story again…. **Thanks to makura_moderski for beta-reading this for me. Lots of great insights!**

I've been catching up on the Naruto manga, so I'm going to be incorporating some more canon elements into this story. It's kind of a pain in the rear because it's SO LONG before Team Gai shows up in the Shippuuden timeline. Does anybody else HATE that the anime's opening themes always have people in them that aren't actually in the show at the time? It's a tease. An evil, evil tease. But anyway, be warned that there will be spoilers in future chapters.

I still don't own Naruto or its characters.

Japanese glossary:

Domo – An informal way to say "hi" to a person you are close to

Baka – stupid; idiot

Konban wa – Good afternoon/evening

* * *

**Chapter 11: Reconciliation**

I hated myself for what I had done.

Tenten and I had not spoken for days. She refused to even look at me. Neji glared daggers if I tried to come closer than an arm's length away from her.

The Hyuuga prodigy had not hesitated to give me a recitation of my sins upon noticing Tenten's mysterious behavior.

"When I asked you to tone down the 'nice guy' act, I didn't mean I wanted you to turn into a jerk," he growled at me. "What in the hell were you thinking, leading her on like that just to hurt her?"

Truly, I had not meant to. I was hurting as well. I grasped at thin air for an acceptable response.

"It just... felt nice to be accepted and cared for by her. But then things got out of hand, you know?"

"No, I don't know, Lee. I've been trying to get her to notice me that way for years. But you had to come along and keep her all to yourself, didn't you? Now she's shut us both out. She won't tell me what happened with you two, but I'm not stupid. I saw what was going to happen from the start of this whole 'Let's set Lee up with Sakura' charade."

I had not attempted to see Sakura since the episode, either. I felt too guilty. I had betrayed her in my mind. I did not deserve her or Tenten.

My heart was heavy as I entered the Hokage's office. Tsunade-sama had summoned our team to discuss a mission. There was tension in the air about Pein's next move. Our assignment was to travel to neighboring countries and warn them of the impending threat. All I could think about as we received instructions was how desperately I wished I could talk to the girl across the table from me. This mission would be torture if I could not earn Tenten's forgiveness. We were to go in two days' time, so I had to act quickly.

I gathered my courage that afternoon, determined to apologize (grovel, if necessary) and try to get back into her good graces. I approached her slowly on the training ground. "Tenten?"

"Eee!" she screamed in surprise as a kunai whizzed past my head. "Oh... domo, Lee… I didn't hear you coming." She quickly dropped her eyes to the ground.

"You could have fooled me," I quipped, looking over my shoulder at the tree where the weapon had embedded itself. She said nothing. I took a deep breath. "I wanted to give you my sincerest apologies for what happened the other day. I was inconsiderate, and selfish, and…"

Tenten crossed her arms, still looking down. "I'm not angry with you… I'm angry with myself."

"Why? The only thing you are guilty of is your beautiful words. I was an insensitive fool. I was careless with your feelings."

"_I_ was careless with my feelings, not _you_." She sat on a log and motioned for me to come and sit beside her. "I haven't been avoiding you because I'm mad at you. I've just been… too embarrassed to face you. I behaved like a child."

"Please do not say that. Honesty is never childish." I could not believe she felt this way about herself because of me. It was a terrible feeling.

"Well, when it's more about selfish reasons than actual truth, it is."

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "It's just that… Jiraiya's death put my priorities into a whole new light. Seeing Lady Tsunade fall apart like that made me realize that there's no guarantee the people you love will be there from one day to the next. I started thinking about all the people we know who have been torn apart by death, and I realized how important you are to me… How much I need you. But I misplaced that feeling of need. I thought I wanted to be with you, and I blurted it out because I was feeling emotional. I'm not actually in love with you – I was in love with the _idea_ of being in love with you."

I understood completely what she meant. I had gone through a similar range of emotions and thoughts that day, but something still did not add up.

"But I made you cry." I felt a pang of shame as I said it.

"No! I was afraid I'd ruined our relationship by freaking you out like that," she sniffed, "_and_ messed up my chances with Neji by throwing myself at you. I didn't tell him anything, but he jumped to his own conclusions."

"Oh, trust me - I know. He gave me an earful." I laughed softly, hoping the remark might lighten her mood. "But do not worry. He cares for you just as much as he ever did. He would never have gotten involved in this situation if he did not."

"You think so?"

I nodded. "As for myself, I have given this a lot of thought, and… I feel the same way about you as you do about me." I held out a hand and she took it. "I am so grateful to have someone who cares about me the way you do. I want you to always know how wonderful you are, inside and out, and it is a personal goal of mine to make sure you do. Seeing you happy makes me happy. You are irreplaceably special to me. I want to always be around to help you when you need me. No matter what happens, you are my dearest friend. Nothing will change that. I will _never_ abandon you."

Her lower lip trembled. "Oh, Lee…" She hugged me, and her tears warmed my shoulder. "I missed you."

I felt whole again. "I missed you, too." I meant it more than anything I had said in a very long time.

We held each other while we cried together. The scene would have put Gai Sensei's histrionics to shame, but we did not care. We cried for Jiraiya, for Asuma, and for all the other precious people who were gone. We cried for all the ones they left behind. We cried for ourselves and the danger our bond had faced. Most of all, we cried from relief that we were _us_ again.

"You've got to see Sakura before we leave." Tenten told me, drying her eyes. "There's no telling how long we'll be gone."

"What will I say?" I dragged the back of my hand across my eyes to clear the wetness.

"Tell her you love her, baka!" She told me, giving me an incredulous look through her sniffling.

"I do not know if it is that easy…"

"Why not? Just walk up to her and say it! You used to do it every day… at least 50 times before lunch." She nudged me.

"Well... All right. I will do it. You should do the same with Neji."

We smiled at each other.

* * *

I found Sakura at the same fateful playground where a pack of academy students had assaulted me not too long ago. She was perched on a swing, gazing up at the sky.

"Konban wa, Sakura-san."

"Konban wa, Lee-san!" She smiled at me and I fell under her spell. Sunset suited her famously. Her cheeks were tinged pink from the heat of the day and her hair tumbled over her shoulders with an almost flamelike brilliance.

I steadied myself with the swing beside hers. "I depart for a mission in two days, and I felt the need to speak with you."

"Okay." She nodded, urging me to continue.

"I have deeply enjoyed our friendship, Sakura-san. I am so privileged to have you in my life. I know I have been a pest before. Gomen."

"Don't be silly." She dug the toe of her shoe into the dirt beneath her with a faint smile, no doubt recalling the gawky, overzealous boy I once was.

"The only _silly_ thing I have to say is that I…" I took a gulp of breath to combat the knot in my stomach. "…I was wondering if you would… accompanyme to dinnertomorrowevening."

I spewed the words like a pair of sneezes. I had reverted to that 13-year-old loser who made a buffoon of himself the day he met her. I hung my head in anticipation of the inevitable letdown.

"That's not silly at all… I'd love to."

"I understand, Sakura-san… Why would _you_ want to be seen in public with _me_? I apologize for even…" My heart skipped a beat. "Wait… Did you just _accept my invitation_?"

"Yes, Lee," she laughed. "I would like to go on a date with you." Her paralyzing jade eyes danced as she said the words.

I had to cement myself to the spot to keep from leaping into the air with joy.

"A-arigato… Sakura-san!" My attempt at composure started to crack.

I once again became Geek Lee before I could put myself back in check. "If I cannot show you a splendid time tomorrow evening, I will do 5,000 laps around the village and 10,000 pushups!"

She laughed again, breaking me out of my tangent. "Okay."

"Shall I pick you up at 7:00?" I never thought I would be asking _any_ girl this question, let alone my ideal one. I tried to keep my voice steady as I did so.

"Sounds great."


	12. Lip Gloss

Author's Note: Well, here it is - a new chapter... :-p I hope y'all enjoy it. Please let me know with a review. I'm currently working on the next chapter and hoping to have it posted very soon.

Speaking of reviews, I'd love some reads and reviews on my other stories, too. I've written a couple of ShikaXTema one-shots, and I'm also working on a HinaXKiba multichap. I'm having a lot of fun writing again, but it's kind of discouraging when I don't get many reviews. To quote Rachel from GLEE, "I'm like Tinkerbell... I need applause to LIVE!"

Seriously, though, I really appreciate feedback, both positive and negative. If something needs to be fixed, tell me and I'll do it. I don't mind plot suggestions, either.

Anyway, enough of my jibbajabba - onward! I still don't own Naruto.

Japanese glossary -

Gejimayu: "Bushy Brow," Lee's nickname given to him by Naruto

Sugoi: Awesome

Arigato: Thank you; thanks

* * *

**Chapter 12: Lip Gloss**

"No way..." Tenten was sitting on my bed, a look of disbelief on her face. "No way!"

"Yes way," I answered, laughing at her expression. "I, Haruno Sakura, solemnly swear that I am not lying, fibbing, joking, fooling, joshing, pulling your leg, or in any other way attempting to obscure the truth." I held up my hand as if taking an oath. "I, in no uncertain terms, am telling you that Maito Gai's prized student, Gejimayu, the Handsome Green Beast of Konoha, Rock Lee... " I paused for effect. "...asked me to go on a date with him and I said 'yes.' No hesitation or second-guessing. Just a definitive 'yes.'"

My friend squealed in delight, rolling onto her back and kicking her legs in the air. "Sugoi!"

"I know." I couldn't believe that after all this time, Lee still wanted to go out with me. It amazed me. It had been a really long time since anyone had asked me for a date, and I was really glad it was him who broke the dry spell. I was finally ready to give him a try.

I was in a fantastic mood, but I was also fantastically nervous. What if I didn't live up to the hype? I didn't want him to be disappointed when I came down from the pedestal and he saw what I was really like.

"You're freaking out, aren't you?"

"Um... no?" My voice betrayed me, making my answer sound like a question.

Tenten looked at me disapprovingly. "What is _wrong_ with you, Sakura? You know Lee's nuts about you. There's nothing you can do that'll keep this from being one of the best nights of his life."

"That's exactly what's bothering me. What if I'm a lame date? Years of building me up to be this dream girl, and it'll all blow up in his face."

I plopped onto the mattress and put my head on her shoulder.

"Honey..." She patted my head. "Have you _met_ Lee? Do you remember the way he used to act around you? Think about it. He's never gone out with another girl. He's been asked out by tons of them... I think Ino tried to drag him somewhere just last week."

_'Ino-pig better keep her slutty hands OFF him,'_ I thought. A flare of animosity made me shiver slightly.

_'Wow... I just got __jealous__... over __Rock Lee__. I must be more into him than I thought.'_ I pressed my lips together, hoping Tenten hadn't noticed my foray into Inner Sakura Land.

"But he's turned down each and every one. He was holding out for you."

"Well..." I lifted my head to look at her. "That's all the more reason to make this date special... because he's denied himself so much and worked so hard to get it."

"All you have to do to make it special is be there, but I know what you mean. Where is he taking you?"

"We're going to dinner. I don't know where. He's picking me up at 7:00."

"We've got plenty of time, then." The clock read 5:24.

She studied me thoughtfully. "I don't think you'll take much work. Really, you could go as is and he'd be thrilled."

"I can't do that!" I whined. "I have to at least put on a pretty outfit... maybe some makeup..."

"_Maybe_ a swipe of mascara and some lip gloss, but don't tart it up. Lee thinks you're gorgeous without embellishments."

I giggled at her turn of phrase. "Okay."

"Ooh!" she squeaked, bouncing up off the bed and reaching for her purse. "Speaking of lip gloss, I have just the one for you!" She rummaged through the enormous bag until she produced a bubblegum-pink tube. She tossed it to me and I clumsily caught it.

I opened it, intending to take a whiff, but I didn't need to. The smell came to me as soon as I took off the cap... a luscious combination of strawberries and vanilla. I almost started to drool.

"This stuff rocks. Lee'll love it."

"My lord, Ten... you were telling me just a minute ago not to be a tart... What's he going to think when I practically _knock him over_ with this amazing smell coming off my _lips_? If that's not a blatantly obvious begging-to-be-kissed signal, I don't know what is."

"Well, don't you _want_ to be kissed?" I expected to see a nefarious expression on her face, but she looked completely serious.

"Y'know..." I thought about it for a couple of seconds. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"I never thought I'd live to see the day you'd say you want to _kiss_ Rock Lee... anything else?" There was the perverted grin I was waiting for. I threw a pillow at her.

"Seriously, though... are you sure this lip gloss isn't too much? I mean, I'm sure it's yummy, but..."

"It's not as bad as you think. It doesn't smell as strong when you're not _huffing_ it from the tube..." she advised with a laugh. "Besides, it's a perfect shade of pink. It'll really go well with your hair."

"Then there's that," I groaned. "What am I supposed to do with this mess?" I pulled the elastic band out of my hair, letting the ponytail fall.

"Just brush it and leave it down. It's simple. He'll like it."

"If you say so..."

I styled myself in the prescribed semi-natural fashion, then turned to my closet. I selected a simple, peach-colored top and a knee-length black skirt. _'Not too flashy, but nice,'_ I thought.

I twirled and the skirt rippled around me as Tenten oohed and ahhed. "You look so pretty, Sakura! Lee's going to feel like a king with you by his side!"

I assessed my reflection as my stomach did somersaults. "Gosh, I hope so." It was 6:47, and it was getting difficult to not panic.

"Well, I'd better go before he gets here. Have fun tonight," she said in a soothing tone as she hugged me goodbye. "And try to relax. Just be yourself - that's who he fell for."

"Arigato, Tenten." I felt a little bit better as I began to close the door.

But then I heard her scream.


	13. Date

Author's Note: I'm kind of afraid that this chapter is boring… I really hope it's not. I tried. Trust me, the next one's better! I've had it written for a while, and had to write this chapter to get there.

Sorry if I got a little too obsessively detailed with Lee's "new look" - I was listening to Bright Eyes when I wrote this, so I had Conor Oberst on the brain... Conor + Lee = perfection. *hearts*

**Pretty, pretty, pretty please review! I'm getting lonely. *Teardrop***

Japanese Glossary –

Bakayaro: Idiot

Gomen: An apology

Arigato: Thank you

* * *

**Chapter 13: Date**

"Lee, what the hell? Bakayaro!"

I peeked out the door to see my friend and my date sprawled on the ground.

"T-T-Tenten!" Lee looked so adorably confused. "I..."

"You need to pay attention to where you're going! You almost killed me!" Her fist connected with his stomach and the force knocked the breath out of him.

"G…G….. Gomen," he gasped.

I felt bad for him, but his befuddlement was so endearing. He stood and offered his hand to help Tenten up. Even when he was acting clueless, he never forgot his manners. She blew off the gesture and rose on her own, dusting off her bottom.

"I'll spare your life for now, on one condition." That prurient look came back to her face and I wanted to _die_. "You step right up to that hot mama over there and show her a night she'll never forget!"

She pushed him toward me and scampered away before I could shoot her a dirty look. Lee blushed furiously and I felt heat in my own cheeks.

"She is such a pervert," I mumbled before I could bring myself to look at Lee again. I realized then that the boy wasn't dressed in his usual, Gai-inspired attire. He looked… normal. No, not normal. "Normal" would be an insult. He looked... hot. _Sexy_, even.

I scanned him from the feet up. He was wearing forest green sneakers, a pair of boot-cut jeans and a light grayish-green tee shirt that clung to his pectorals and taut stomach. The bandages on his arms enhanced the look. His hair was mussed in a stylish, indie-rocker sort of way. It looked a lot like it did on the day of the kickball incident, but intentionally so.

'_This has got to be Tenten's work,_' I thought, marveling at him. _'Leave it to her to be in on this and not tell me. What a sneak! The fairy god mother did an excellent job… He was good-looking before, but __damn__**.**__'_ I was going to have to thank her later.

I realized I was staring, on the verge of salivating, and mentally slapped myself.

"You look… _exquisite_ tonight, Sakura-san." His already large eyes looked even bigger than usual.

"Arigato…. You look really nice, too." I realized he'd been checking me out at the same time I did it to him, which made me feel a little better about my lecherous thoughts.

"I fear I am underdressed. Your ensemble is striking."

"Oh, you're _fine_."

I immediately noticed my accidental double entendre and quickly corrected myself.

"Um… I mean… _it's_ fine. I like your outfit."

I tore my gaze from his abs to look at his face. I felt like such a _pig_ ogling him this way, but I had no control over my eyes. It was maddening.

"Arigato. So…" He clasped his hands behind this back and looked down at his feet. His cuteness knew no bounds. "Are you ready to go?"

"Sure. Where are we going?"

"It is a surprise," he replied. His modest smile reminded me of the silly little boy he used to be, and it warmed my heart. Who knew that little dork could turn into this… this _god_ I was spending my evening with? I was very glad I wasn't prone to nosebleeds.

"Oh… I brought this for you. Fortunately, Tenten and I did not crush it." He extended his arm with a bow of his head, presenting me with a single daffodil he had just pulled from his shirt pocket.

"That is so sweet… Arigato!"

I took the flower, remembering the time he spent in the hospital after his encounter with Gaara in the chuunin exams. I figured Tenten had told him I was the one who kept a steady stream of the fresh yellow blooms in his room. I felt a little bashful as I tore off the stem and tucked the blossom into my hair behind my ear.

Lee regarded me with a look of almost comical reverence. "A beautiful accent piece for a beautiful woman." He smiled and reddened again.

'_No, Lee… you're the beautiful one,'_ I wanted to say, but I didn't have the guts. Instead, I simply thanked him for the compliment.

I locked my door. He offered me his arm, I took it, and we set off toward our destination. We walked in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable silence. It felt nice. Right. I wanted so badly to lean my head to rest on his shoulder, but thought it might be too forward.

"Well, here we are!" We had arrived at a restaurant I'd passed many times before but never entered because of its reputation for being the priciest place in town.

"Oh, my goodness, Lee… isn't this a little expensive?"

"I am afraid I insist. A lady such as yourself does not belong at just _any_ restaurant on a date. It is my duty as a man to take you to an establishment worthy of your presence."

He gave me a look that made my knees weak. A girl could get used to this kind of adulation.

"Well, since you put it that way… I'm convinced."

He held the door for me and gave me his hand as I climbed the single step leading to the entrance. I felt a tinge of disappointment as he attempted to pull away politely upon crossing through the door.

_'Oh, what the hell?'_ I thought. I held on. His face went crimson again, but he allowed me to keep his hand in mine. He was just so darn _charming_. I pouted inwardly when the server brought our menus and I was forced to release him.

I skimmed the offerings with clenched teeth. The prices were astronomical! Lee read my mind. "Order anything you would like, Sakura-san. Money is not an object."

We ordered our drinks and entrees and started making small talk about our teammates and the latest happenings around the village. I was regaling him with a story of Sai's latest adventure in his efforts to make friends when he cut me off.

"I know it is extremely rude of me to interrupt you, but I simply cannot let another moment pass without telling you how heavenly you smell."

'_I knew it! Tenten, the lip gloss __was__ too much!'_ I thought with a flutter in my chest.

He seemed to instantly regret his remark.

"Not that you smell _bad_ usually…" he backpedaled, "..and I certainly do _not_ follow you around _smelling_ you… That would be most crude and indecent…"

"Lee!" I silenced his nervous rambling with a laugh. "It's okay! It's just some lip gloss I borrowed from Tenten." I blushed, thinking about the conversation we'd had about kissing him.

"I sincerely hope that comment was not inappropriate and did not embarrass you. I will make myself do 1,000 punches for it..."

"No… it's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Before I knew it, we were the only people left in the restaurant except for the few employees cleaning up. "We are about to close, sir… miss."

"Oh! Of course!" Lee answered in surprise as he took out the money to pay for our meal. Neither one of us had noticed the late hour. We'd bantered about inconsequential topics since a little bit after 7:00, and it was now midnight.

I honestly could have kept talking to him until sunrise. He relaxed me, and he was a very good conversationalist. I could have talked to him about drying paint and it would have been interesting. Of course, maybe it was just the fact that it was Lee.

"Shall I escort you home now?" He offered me his arm again.

I really didn't want the night to end, but I answered, "Yes."


	14. Confession

A/N: I would like to state for the record that I absolutely love writing from Lee's perspective... I can get as sappy and use as many big words as I want and it's never OOC. Lee-kun is my perfect man. ^_^

Thanks again to makura_moderski for being my guinea pig with some of this material.

I'm going to have to give up the ghost of following canon too closely. There's just a point where it gets to be too effed up and interferes with my SakuXLee agenda. Thanks to pharix for helping me see that.

**Please, please, ****please**** review! Kthxbai.**

I still don't own Naruto.

Japanese Glossary:

Arigato: Thank you

Hai: Yes

Gomen: An apology

* * *

**Chapter 14: Confession**

We were about a block away from her home. It was almost over - my first (and probably last) date with Haruno Sakura was drawing to a close.

It was just as well. I had said and done idiotic things since the beginning. I plowed into Tenten because I was too busy daydreaming to notice her standing there, and I had shamelessly gaped at Sakura when I first saw her. She looked extraordinary, but that was no excuse to stare at her as if she were a piece of meat – it was incredibly disrespectful!

I was a mess compared to Sakura, wearing a ridiculous outfit Tenten had selected for me and allowing her to make my hair look as if Doshi had nested in it. I had told her about the date first thing that morning, and she insisted on being my wardrobe consultant. "I'll just have to act surprised when she tells me about it," she giggled mischievously.

I looked at my reflection with trepidation. "It looks really good, I promise!" Tenten had assured me that afternoon. "You're hot!"

_Hot_ was the last thing I felt. I felt like a clown, but grudgingly heeded her advice.

So I had been clumsy and chauvinistic, and I looked ludicrous. To top it all off, I managed to say the weirdest thing in the world to her during dinner… about how she _smelled_. Who says things like that? I was such a defective! I was certain she would never want to see me again.

The scent of her lip gloss was pushing me to the brink of insanity... as if I needed another reason to focus on her mouth! Women could be well and truly wicked. I took a mental note to castigate Tenten later for helping Sakura torture me this way.

"I really had a great time. Arigato." She looked as if she genuinely meant it. It made me brave for a moment.

'_I have already completely bastardized this so-called date. How can it get any worse?'_ I thought. I took the opportunity to say what had been on my mind all evening.

"Sakura-san... I have a confession to make."

"Oh?" the sublimely lovely kunoichi on my arm stopped walking and turned to face me. "What is it?"

I swallowed hard and tried in vain to keep my voice steady. "I… I... still love you, Sakura-san. I thought you should know that before I leave, even though I cannot hope for you to ever love me…"

She looked at me as if she were seeing a different person, as if she were hearing my expression of adoration for the first time. Could it be that she was actually entertaining the absurd notion of loving me? Of us being in love?

"Quite to the contrary..." I watched as a perfectly pink blush bookended her smile. "I think that could be arranged." She stepped forward, tilting her head slightly to the left. The world seemed to move in slow motion as the moment I had dreamed of for years finally came to be reality. Her sparkling eyes slid closed as our lips came together.

It was pure and chaste and perfect. If my heart had not stopped, it surely would have burst through my chest. I traced the outline of her face with my fingertips as we stood there together, connected. _'This is what true bliss feels like,' _I declared to myself. The taste of the lip gloss was an afterthought (It was delicious, though - the perfect dessert). She draped her arms around my neck and I was utterly, irrevocably, unshakably, _**stupidly**_** happy**.

Nothing else in the universe mattered.

She became my universe.

My sun and moon and stars.

My Sakura.

* * *

"You guys _kissed_? Seriously?" Tenten practically screeched with excitement when I told her the next day about what had happened. Doshi hopped in a frenetic circle around her feet, obviously also excited by the news. "I _knew_ there was something different about you today… You're _glowing_."

"I do not doubt it," I smiled at my confidant as we walked toward the gates of Konoha. "It was wonderful… there is no existing word to describe how wonderful. I only regret that I will have to wait an eternity before I can do it again..."

My mind traveled back to the sensation of joining my lips with Sakura's. I felt emptiness in the pit of my stomach at the thought of going for such an indefinite amount of time without touching her. I had just gotten a mere taste and was already hopelessly addicted... a man possessed.

I shook my head to clear my mind. "How did it go with Neji?"

Tenten hesitated, a look of despair marring her features.

"You still have not told him?" I questioned, a look of mock surprise on my face. "Shame on you!" I wagged a finger at her.

"I really wanted to, but he still seemed angry. I clammed up."

"He will have to get over it soon."

"I'm so happy for you." She shifted the conversation back to me. "It's about time! So, are you guys, like, a couple now?"

"I suppose so," I pondered, grinning like a fool again. "She is my… girlfriend." It felt amazing to say the word. "My girlfriend."

* * *

"…So he's my boyfriend now, I guess."

"Well, I, for one, am relieved that it's all over with. I knew it would happen, but who knew it would take so _long_?" My mentor and employer held out an upturned palm. "Pay up, Shizune."

"What? You guys were betting on my love life? That's not cool." I tried to look angry, but I'm sure it didn't look too convincing through my goofy beaming.

"Oh, calm down," Shizune replied, tugging on one of my pigtails. "It's all in good fun. We're really happy for you."

Tsunade-sama nodded her agreement. "When he gets back from his mission, you can get out a little instead of spending all your time here."

"I could use a bit of a social life, huh?"

"Lord, yes," my boss replied, "I'm getting sick of seeing so much of you! You have less of a life than I do, and I'm Hokage!"

"Okay, okay… I get your point."

"Go give your man a proper sendoff," she winked at me. "But be here bright and early and ready to work hard tomorrow."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." I bowed and turned to leave.

As I closed the door, I overheard Shizune saying, "Gai's going to be thrilled that he won against Kakashi _again_." I could only laugh as I made my way down the stairs and walked out into the sun.

* * *

"We'll be waiting at the gate. Go ahead and say your goodbyes, my exuberant student," Gai Sensei cooed, his eyes misting over. "Ah, to be young and in love!"

"Sakura-san..." I broke the silence after we had stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes, "or... may I be so bold as to call you Sakura... chan now?" I recalled my dream and smiled, realizing it had come true. Here we were, my girlfriend and I, having a discussion about honorifics.

"Just 'Sakura' is fine, Lee," she answered, embracing me. "You crack me up... you're so prim and proper, like a butler or a waiter."

"Oh, gomen, Sakura-san... I mean -chan... er… j-just S-Sakura..." I knew my face was red again. This had become a pattern. The woman's presence reduced me to an inarticulate, lovesick puddle.

"You are beyond adorable..." She snuggled into my chest and I could have died happy in that instant. "Please come back soon and in one piece."

"I promised to protect you with my life. I have to remain alive to keep that promise, so worry not."

"We've got to go, Lee," Neji yelled. "Your _lady fair_ will still be here when we get back."

I had just gained the ability - the permission - to hold her, and the last thing on Earth I wanted was to let her go, but I relented.

"Take good care of her, friend." I acknowledged Doshi, who poked his head out of Sakura's backpack.

A prickly feeling claimed my eyes. I knew what was coming.

"I love you more than life itself, my precious flower." I kissed her forehead and quickly faced the gate before she could see my weakness.

"Lee... wait." Her voice was unsteady and mournful.

I swiveled in concern, abandoning my pride. "What is it, my darling one?"

"I'm... not ready to say it back to you _yet_," she sniffled. "But... maybe when you get back, I will be."

My heart soared. Now was the time for a grand romantic gesture. I pulled Sakura to me, tangling my fingers in her hair and capturing her mouth with simultaneous audacity and tenderness I had not believed myself to be capable of. I felt her arms around me again as she kissed me back.

I heard a wolf whistle, presumably from Gai Sensei (Neji would rather set himself on fire than give any sign of support), and Tenten whooped her approval, which made us laugh at our own expenses mid-kiss.

Tears still rolled down her pink-framed face when we pulled apart, but it made me feel better to see her smiling through them. She truly was a treasure, and my dearest desire was to stay and cherish her forever.

"I miss you terribly already."

"Please be careful."

"Anything for my angel."

I watched our hands slowly part as I backed away.


	15. Insecurity

A/N: I'm trying a new title. I've never been happy with the one I had. I'm not sure about this one, either. Feedback, please!

I don't own anything about the Naruto series except what I make up. I wish I could have a Lee… And if he was mine to give, I'd let SilverWolfStar have Doshi. ^_^

Enjoy the new chapter. And be sure to show me some love (or hate, if you so choose) with a review!

* * *

**Chapter 15: Insecurity**

I sat by the campfire with my single remaining scroll spread across my lap, trying to think of what to say to the woman who occupied my mind nearly 24 hours a day. A page full of _'I love you_'s did not seem like enough. I needed substance.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"What does it look like, Tenten? I am writing."

"Whatcha writin'?"

"Something." I turned my back to the pigtailed girl who, it seemed, was purposely trying my patience.

"What kinda somethin'?" She put her arms around my neck and poked her head over my shoulder.

"If you must know, it is a letter to Sakura."

"Ooooh! Let me write something!" Before I could stop her, she had snatched my scroll and made a mad dash out of my reach with it. I knew it was useless to resist, so I sighed and waited.

"Okay! All done!" Tenten administered one of her _'you-know-you-can't-stay-mad-at-me'_ looks as I resignedly accepted the page back from her.

I had taken to watching stars frequently. The sky was perfect for it, and it took me back to the evening that Sakura and I had shared our first kiss. I really was the luckiest man alive to have such a fantastic woman take an interest in a clod like me.

One thing nagged my nerves, though: she had not yet told me she loved me. Of course, I was being silly to expect it so soon; my deeper worry was if she _ever would_ love me. Did she even want to be my girlfriend, or did wishful thinking cause me to misinterpret the situation? Was this letter a waste of time? I vowed to find out the answers to these questions upon arrival at home.

Hoping that she could read my chicken scratch, especially with Tenten's sprawling hand interrupting in the middle, I added one final line to the note and rolled it tight, ready to pass it on to the courier with Gai Sensei's progress report for the Hokage.

I lay awake for hours, tossing and turning in my sleeping bag, wondering what Sakura's reaction to my message would be. Would she be happy to hear from me? Would she be sad that I was still gone? Was I coming on too strong? Would she wonder why I was writing to her like a soldier to his wife when we had been on only one date? Would I scare her away yet again?

I eventually exhausted myself with these thoughts and dozed off.

I dreamed about her all night.

* * *

I had the radio on as I shuffled through papers on the floor of the Hokage's office. It was mainly for background noise because I hated how lonely silence made me feel. Lee and Tenten were gone on their mission, Naruto was off training with Fukasaku-san, and even my mentor and sister disciple were out of the building for the day. Inner Sakura was in Pity Party Mode. _'This sucks,'_ I sulked_. 'Why couldn't I have gone with Tsunade-sama and Shizune?'  
_  
Then something caught my ear.

It was a song that had played in the restaurant that night with Lee. I remembered thinking it was beautiful. The music was more beautiful now than it was then, except that he wasn't there with me. It was a hollow beauty.

I remembered the sweet, clumsy boy I'd opened my door to, the daffodil he gave me, his strong but gentle hand helping me through the door of the restaurant, the amazing kiss at the end of the night… then I drifted off into daydreams about when I would see him again as the notes washed over me.

Suddenly, I felt something touch my shoulder.

I screamed so loudly, I was sure the windows rattled. Doshi, who had been sleeping in the corner, leapt about five feet up with an "Eek!" He flailed in the air for a second, then darted for refuge. I whipped my head around to see a catlike face smiling falsely down at me.

"Domo, Sakura."

"Sai… You scared the crap out of me!" I struggled to catch my breath as the dolt continued to grin.

"What a cordial welcome, Jumpy," he nodded to me and then to the tail protruding from under the desk, "Fluffy."

_'He's still on about the damn nicknames,'_ I fumed as I crawled over to the desk to retrieve my boyfriend's familiar. He made an angry clicking noise until I fished a raisin out of my pocket and held it out to him. He slowly peered out and sniffed at my peace offering, quickly grabbing the treat and climbing into the Hokage's chair to eat.

_'Great – now I've set a precedent. I'm spoiling him more than Tenten does!'_ I thought, annoyed with myself for being such a pushover._  
_

I couldn't help it, really. Doshi was my sole connection to Lee while his team was gone. It had been weeks. We'd just become a couple, and he had to rush off on some _stupid mission._ I knew it wasn't _really_ stupid (quite to the contrary, it was vitally important), but I missed him.

"So," I turned toward the pale face and dark hair, smiling as generically as he did, "What brings you here?" I was willing to accept his company over nothing, no matter how weird he was.

"Well…" the seemingly robotic boy in front of me responded, with just the right amount of hesitancy in his tone, "I wanted to ask Bowl Cut Junior for advice, but you'll have to do. I have a date with Gorgeous tomorrow."

"Ino?" I thought I was hearing things. "You asked Ino out?"

"No, she asked me, and I read…"

"…that it's impolite to turn down an invitation?"

"That, and if you think someone is aesthetically pleasing, you should _want_ to go out with her."

I was amused that straight-laced, emotionless, by-the-books, asexual Sai would find Ino, or any girl, "aesthetically pleasing." This was the kind of comic gold that could not be made up. I waited to hear the questions he had.

"I am only kidding, Sakura!" my teammate singsonged in an almost painfully fake way.

Okay, so it _could_ be made up.

"I read somewhere…"

"I know, that friends tell each other jokes!" I laughed genuinely. "That was actually a pretty good one. You had me going for a minute there." Right then, I was glad Sai had come by. It was difficult to believe, but he'd managed to lift my mood.

"But really, what brings you here?"

"We just got a progress report from Team Bowl Cut."

I held my breath.

"They're fine. Junior even had time to write you a letter."

"Really? A letter from Lee? Gimme!" I practically jumped up and down with excitement. He gave me an odd look and lackadaisically handed me a scroll.

"I should kick your ass for waiting so long to give this to me, but you softened me up with the joke."

"Well, you're welcome," Sai gave me his cheesy, squinty look again.

"Arigato," I said as he waved and turned to leave the office.

"See you later."

"Hey… wait."

"Hn?"

"You want to… maybe hang out tomorrow? Have some ramen for lunch?"

"A perfect way to keep the Dickless Wonder in our hearts while he's gone. Sure."

I didn't care whether his smile was real or not. I laughed. I laughed for the second time since Lee, Naruto and Tenten had left.

I was looking forward to having a friend again.

The only thing I looked forward to more was reading the scroll Sai had given me.

* * *

I was _finally_ home. I had rushed through my work so I could read Lee's letter.

I'd put this off because I knew I would be far too distracted by my to-do list to relish every word the way I wanted to. I also didn't want to be in public when I read it because I was sure I'd be super emotional. Our relationship was young, but Lee and I shared quite a history.

I slowly unfurled the scroll and began to read the flawless handwriting:

_My dearest Sakura,_

_I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits. Gai Sensei is doing his best to keep us going at a quick traveling pace. Tenten is as bubbly and Neji as sour as ever. We are all doing fine. _

_We have been out here for only 2 weeks, and I am going insane without you. When I think about the last time we were together, I can barely see a point of light in the distance. I know it is the way back to you, and I desperately hope we start getting closer to it soon, not farther away._

_The countryside bordering the Land of Tea is beautiful. The sky is brilliantly clear at night, and you can see all the stars in the galaxy. I think you would enjoy stargazing. Besides, you look so striking in the moonlight._

_**Hi! I am Rock Lee… "romantic" this and "you are beautiful" that… I am your loverboy! I cannot wait to make out with you again! Muah!**_

The pen had obviously changed hands. I couldn't stifle a giggle as I realized who the new author was.

_**Seriously, though, domo. It's Tenten. I miss you. I can't wait for us to get back so I can see you and my Doshi-kun! I hope you're taking good care of each other. Lee looks like steam's about to come out of his ears, so I'm giving the scroll back. Bye! Luv ya!**_

The voice of the letter was once again Lee's.

_I am so sorry about that. This is the last scroll I have, so I cannot start this letter over. She is such a brat!_

All I could think about at that moment was how cute Lee must've looked when Tenten butted in. I smiled to myself.

_At any rate, the thought of seeing your sweet face again is what has kept me going. I miss you so unbearably much. _

"I know the feeling," I told the scroll, feeling a lump rising in my throat. "I miss you, too."

_We found a field of daffodils yesterday and I thought of you. Well, I think about you all of the time, but this was a specific reminder. I never did thank you properly for everything you did for me when I was hospitalized. I appreciated it more than you know. Maybe I will have the opportunity to show you my gratitude soon. I certainly hope so. I do not know how much more of this I can take._

_It is time for me to sleep now. We pull up stakes and move again tomorrow._

_Please tell everyone "konnichiwa" for me. I hope Doshi is behaving for you. Arigato again for watching him. Take care of yourself and do your best at work._

_Most importantly, I love you._

_Forever yours,_

_Rock Lee_

_P.S. I have a question to ask you when I return._

The last line left me curious, but the part that I kept reading over and over again was _"I love you."_ Every time I ran my eyes across those 3 words he had so carefully written, I felt myself moving closer and closer to the point where I could say the same to him.

Doshi had forgiven me for the earlier mishap and hopped up onto my bed. I let myself fall onto my side, resting my head next to the squirrel.

"This letter was written weeks ago. Do you think he still feels this way, or was he just lonely? Is he thinking about me right now?"

He chirped as if to scold me for questioning his master's feelings for me.

"If you say so…" I yawned and the two of us settled into my pillow for some much needed rest.


	16. Pain

A/N: This story is based on Kishimoto-san's characters, not mine. I'm also borrowing heavily from canon at this point.

I hope you like this chapter. I used some direct quotes from the anime/manga. I had to do some research to get it just right. I feel like I'm using canon as a crutch here, but I'm really just trying to use it as a vehicle to get to the next part of the story. I'm trying to add my own details from Sakura and Lee's perspectives so I'm not just regurgitating manga sequences.

Oh, and my apologies to anyone who saw the original, prematurely-released Chapter 16. It was crap, and I knew it.

* * *

**Chapter 16: Pain**

Sai and I had a very leisurely, pleasant lunch. He was a poor substitute for Lee, but really, everyone was these days. I found myself enjoying being around him anyway. He seemed to be picking up some emotions of his own now. I was disappointed to see him go afterward. He had to meet Anko and Yamato for a mission.

_'So much for having friends around,'_ Inner Sakura kvetched.

I absently wandered the streets for the rest of the day with Doshi perched on my shoulder, wondering when Lee would come back. People took notice when they saw me in the company of the taijutsu master's pet squirrel. Their looks were first filled with questions, then with understanding.

Doshi was eating up the attention, fluffing his tail around my neck like a feather boa and clucking amiably. I was enjoying it, too. It was like wearing a sign that proclaimed "I'm Rock Lee's girl, and proud of it!" except that I had a cute, fuzzy friend to take care of the proclamation wordlessly for me.

We finally went home at sunset and slept like happy logs.

The next day, I had to work. I hated to leave Doshi locked up inside on such a beautiful day, so I let him out to play in the forest before I left, leaving a window open in case he came back before me.

I was in the morgue with Shikamaru and some of our colleagues, processing information about the Pein corpse recovered from Jiraiya's final fight. One of the lab technicians' backs stiffened. There was a quick, concerned exchange between her and the other lab tech.

"This is about receivers..." she said over her shoulder worriedly as she left the room. "I can't delay my report to Tsunade-sama by explaining it to you."

"What?" Shikamaru stood up, going to the window.

I followed, and what I saw made my blood run cold. Smoke was rising from buildings across the village. "What's this?"

"Let's go!" Shikamaru was on the move so fast, I almost couldn't keep up.

* * *

"Let's take a break... I'm worn out!" Tenten wiped sweat from the side of her face as we stopped momentarily during our trek back to Konoha. I glared at her when she said that.

Stopping to rest was the farthest thing from my mind. I was going home to be with my Sakura again... well, I was not sure if she was mine for sure yet, but the longer we rested, the longer it would take for me to find out!

Gai Sensei looked uneasy.

"What is the matter?" I asked.

He gestured toward the sky. "Have you noticed all the birds flying from the direction of the village? They seem to be trying to escape something."

My stomach twisted into a painful knot. 

_'Sakura...'_ was all my subconscious could choke out. Outwardly, I had been rendered mute with fear.

Neji voiced my thoughts. "I have a bad feeling... we should head for the village right away."

"What?" Tenten, still adamant about resting and not yet catching on to our collective worry, pouted as we proceeded.

* * *

"Unh..."

"Please hurry..."

"It hurts..."

"Damn it!" I cursed under my breath. "There are just too many to heal them all!"

I continued to run around, helping as many patients as I could, trying to block out the sound of the pandemonium outside that had put the majority of these people in this state. Iruka had told me Akatsuki was attacking. The only comfort I could take in this situation was that Lee and a number of my friends were not around to be hurt.

_'How horrible a person must I be to think that way when all these people are injured?'_ I scolded myself. I wiped my mental slate clean, forcing my brain to focus on my work.

I was finally making progress in my one-woman triage when suddenly, the floor crumbled from under me. I didn't even have time to scream before everything went dark.

When I came to, I had been dragged from the rubble and revived by the Hokage's summon, Katsuyu.

When I was finally able to rise to my hands and knees, what I saw was like a punch to the stomach. I couldn't breathe. Konoha was in absolute ruin. Bodies were strewn everywhere. I shouted something pathetic, then dissolved into tears.

What good was I? None, as usual_. 'Shit!'_ I lamented. _"Why do I have to be so useless?'_

I didn't have very long to wallow in my self-hate. I heard the "poof" noises of several summons arriving. I looked up and gasped.

Naruto was atop a pack of toads, arms crossed, with an enormous scroll on his back and a red robe swirling around him in the wind.

I knew then that we were saved.

* * *

"You're always so rash, baka!" Sakura punched the already battered Naruto. Then she hugged him. He looked confused but happy.

He had certainly earned some extra attention, to say the least, after all he had been through that day. He had done the impossible. He had destroyed Pein and saved the village! I still wished he would seek out someone else to revel with. I really needed to speak to Sakura in private.

"Arigato," his teammate and the love of my life told him. I thought I heard her add in a whisper, "Now go see Hinata!"

My wish was granted when a large crowd of villagers scooped him up and began tossing him into the air triumphantly. Sakura stood back and laughed for a moment, then turned to look at me.

"Lee..."

Suddenly, I felt a force hit my torso, knocking the breath out of me. I looked down to see pink hair against my chest and slim but strong arms around me.

_'She hugs tighter than Gai Sensei!' _I thought, trying not to audibly gasp for air. She realized I was having trouble breathing and loosened her grip considerably, looking up into my eyes. She was crying.

I realized that I had not said a word to her since I had arrived in Konoha several hours before. She had been so focused on healing Hinata and the Hokage, she had not had time to acknowledge me, and I was simply ecstatic to see her alive and well. I was afraid if I tried to talk to her or disturb her in any way, she would turn out to be an illusion, evaporating to reveal her mangled body among the wreckage.

"S-Sakura..." I felt my eyes growing cloudy as well. I could tell she wanted me to hug her back. I happily reciprocated her embrace.

"I'm so glad to see you!" the gorgeous cherub sobbed. "I was so scared... and I m-missed you s-so... much!" I held her, letting her cry until her tears tapered to sniffles.

She had had to deal with almost as much stress as Naruto today, only without the adrenaline rush of the fight as an outlet. She shouldered so much as a medical ninja, facing injury and death daily and having to remain stone-faced as she healed person after person, regardless of outcomes.

She had waited until Naruto and his adoring crowd had moved on before falling apart completely. I hated seeing her this way, but felt privileged to be the one she chose to let down her guard and emotionless mask in front of.

"Gomen, Lee..." she pulled away, wiping her eyes. "There I go, being weak again."

"Do not say that!"

She jumped and I instantly felt guilty for startling her. I started again, more gently and quietly.

"Please do not say that. You are incredibly strong - as strong as you are beautiful. Why do you think every man in town steers clear of you? They are intimidated by your beauty and terrified by your strength."

Hearing her laugh did wonders for my soul.

"Not to mention you are one of the best medics in the village. Do you know how many lives you save each and every day? You have a natural talent for it. You were not yet studying under Tsunade-sama when I had my operation, and you saved me then."

Jade eyes overflowed again.

"Oh, Sakura... Gomen nasai! I did not mean to upset you!"

"No... Lee..." She smiled through the drops on her face. "I really don't think I did much to help you in the hospital, but I'm glad you think so."

"More than you can imagine. That is why I mentioned it in my letter. I still owe you some token or gesture to express my appreciation."

She sniffed and wiped her face dry. "How about you take a walk with me?"

"Right now?"

"Yeah... Tsunade-sama is stable, everyone else is out celebrating, and I really need to get out of here for a while. Besides, I need to find Doshi. I let him out this morning, thank goodness."

"Definitely." I breathed a small sigh of relief at the knowledge that he had probably survived. "Again, arigato for taking care of him."

"No problem. It was fun."

"Shall we?" I offered her my arm and she took it as we proceeded into the forest.

"Wow... I feel so much better already, being away from it all," she sighed contentedly, leaning her head against my shoulder.

I truly hoped she could not hear my heartbeat growing increasingly faster with every second. I lost all control of my body when she touched me. She could kill me with this kind of power.

"So, what was it you wanted to ask me?" She turned to face me after we had put a decent amount of distance between ourselves and the village.

I took a deep breath, ready to expel the speech I had mentally rehearsed for days.

"I... I was very presumptuous the last time I saw you. I kissed and held you as if you were mine, even without knowing if you were. I regret being so forward... I never received your consent to interact with you in such an intimate manner."

Sakura's mouth hung open. "What?"

Even when confused she was very pretty, with an added dash of adorable. The light trickling through the treetops and landing in little dots on her face only enhanced this effect.

"What are you saying?"

"What I am saying," I started again, itching to stroke her cheek, but managing to refrain, "is that I foolishly assumed that we had become... more than we were before. Our relationship is ambiguous. I would like to remedy that."

She continued to look at me in puzzlement.

_'Etiquette and tact are double-edged swords,'_ I thought. I was being too vague. It was time to get to the point.

I lowered myself to one knee, taking her hands in mine.

"Haruno Sakura, will you please be my girlfriend? I promise to protect you until the day I die."

Her face sprang into an expression of realization, then bore a huge, radiant smile.

"Of course! Yes, Rock Lee. I will gladly be your girlfriend."

She pulled me to my feet and immediately pressed her warm body against mine in another hug.

I returned the embrace, resting my head on top of hers in the hope that she would not see the happy tears in my eyes.

It was confirmed. Sakura had, without a shadow of a doubt, agreed to be my girlfriend! My heart rejoiced.

* * *

"Of course! Yes, Rock Lee. I will gladly be your girlfriend." I hugged the sweetest guy in the universe tightly, so happy to have him back.

We stood there, holding each other, until the nagging question in my head made it past my lips.

"What brought this on? I thought I was already your girlfriend."

He looked down at me sheepishly with shining eyes and placed a finger under my chin.

"I never properly asked you. Besides..."

He trailed off, dropping his hand and leaning his forehead against mine, seeming to get lost looking at me.

"Besides... what?"

He directed his eyes to the ground. "You do not want to know. It is selfish."

"I'm sure it's not that bad," I encouraged.

"Well... I just really wanted... needed... to hear you say 'yes.'" Another shy smile and a blush. I almost melted on the spot.

"Then allow me to oblige yet again..." I took his face in my hands. "Yes, Lee. Yes, yes, yes. I will proudly be your girlfriend."

I kissed him and I felt like I was floating.

"A thousand times, yes."

"Arigato, angel." I could barely hear the words. He almost whispered them. He was bright red. I knew I would never get tired of seeing this boy's charmingly flustered facial expressions.

_'It certainly won't be long for those three words now...' _Inner Sakura sighed_. 'You've got it __**bad.'**_


	17. Public

This chapter's a shorty, but it was a cute scene I thought up – gotta have some mush to balance out the drama!

The disclaimer on all previous chapters involving the Naruto series applies to this chapter, too.

**Edit: makura_moderski pointed out that the village was magically back in order in an undetermined amount of time, so I added a time reference, and for the purposes of this story, all the village's structures were restored when Pein died and revived everyone. I know, lazy writing, but I couldn't figure out a better fix.**

**Edited a bit to make the end a little more cute/funny. Thanks for the suggestion, Xx-im-da-lonely-emo-girl-xX!**

_**Please review! I'll be your best friend and love you forever and protect you until the day I die.

* * *

**_

**Chapter 17: Public**

It was a lovely day a week or so after the attack on the village. It felt like a fading, distant nightmare, as if it never really happened, due mostly to the fact that Pein's self-sacrifice had returned everyone and everything to normal... Well, except for Tsunade-sama, whose injuries were self-inflicted. In the style of a true Hokage, she had depleted an extremely dangerous amount of chakra healing her citizens. She was still unconscious, but her vital signs were good, so I stayed optimistic.

Lee and I decided to meet for lunch on my break from the hospital. We had agreed on a grassy knoll by the bridge for our outing (he was bringing food), but he came to the hospital to pick me up before I could even clock out.

"Konnichiwa, Lee-kun!" I oozed saccharine from my vocal chords, using the suffix as a playful homage to his old concerns about the "proper" way to address me.

He played along. "Sakura-chan…" I leaned over the receptionist's counter to give my boyfriend a peck on the lips.

"Jeez, you guys… gross!" Ino made a "gag" gesture as she rolled past with a cart full of patient medications. All the nurses thought it was darling.

"Hang onto that one, honey… He's obviously crazy about you… and so cute!" Sadako, one of Konoha's oldest and most-loved nurses, fanned herself with a clipboard as I changed out of my uniform.

"Oh, don't worry… I intend to."

She smiled so widely, you could see where her dentures ended and there were exposed gums. "It's so great you've found a good man. I'm sure you'll make each other very happy."

I met Lee at the front door and he started the trip much like any other we had taken recently, only not as formal. "Shall we?" He extended his hand instead of his elbow and I happily took it. He carried a basket in his other hand. We interlaced our fingers and Doshi hopped from his shoulders to mine as we walked.

"I remembered how impressed you seemed to be with how I looked on our date before the mission," he commented, "So I tried to replicate the hairstyle. I could not make myself wear the clothes again, though. Gomen."

I took my eyes off his face long enough to notice his hairstyle. He'd done a good job recreating what Tenten had done, but it was not what I wanted to see. The "new look" Tenten had given him for the date was nice, but I wanted the _real_ Lee.

"Oh, Lee…" I assessed his hair while fingering the hairbrush in one of my holsters. "You look great as you are." I did my best to smooth it down with my free hand. It would suffice until I could get full access to his head when we sat down.

As we made our way through town, the people who had seen me with Doshi before only smiled as they watched us walk by. We ventured past Ichiraku, where a group of our friends were on their way in before they saw us.

Naruto, his arm slung around a surprised Hinata, gave me a wink.

Shino lowered his sunglasses and peered over them to get a better look.

Kiba mouthed the words "No fucking way!" as he and Akamaru looked on. Chouji held a similar look of disbelief.

Tenten waved with a smile and Neji looked as serious as always, arms crossed.

Shikamaru and Temari didn't even notice. They were too busy arguing about something.

Thoroughly entertained (and egged on) by our peers' reactions, I clasped Lee's hand even tighter, stopping him in his tracks.

"Is something wrong, Sakura?" He looked perplexed in that irresistible "Lee" way. I took his moment of vulnerability as an opportunity to lay a great, big, _public_ kiss on him.

I heard a reenactment of the responses to our kiss at the gate, only the whoops and whistles were multiplied, with a couple of gasps mixed in. I giggled against his lips as his cheeks burned.

"Wh…what… what was that for?" my sweet, dorky boyfriend asked, even more adorably confused than before. He blinked rapidly as I started walking again, pulling him along beside me.

"Nothing… I just…" I caught myself before I rushed into what I thought should be more than an impromptu, passing statement. "I'm just in a good mood."


	18. Love

Here's a new chapter, my lovelies… also changed the ending to Chapter 17 a little bit and tweaked Chapter 16 in a couple of spots.

If anyone cares, "dear heart" is my favorite. You'll see what I mean when you get there. ;)

This chapter is also pretty fluffy and a bit on the short side… I promise I'll get to some more drama/action soon. I'm not sure exactly what trial or tribulation Lee and Sakura will face next. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks to **pharix** for the comments on the Hinata/Sakura scene.

I'm not sure if I like this chapter. There are parts I like, but I'm afraid the rest is weak. I'll probably nitpick it to death before I'm okay with it. I can't leave well enough alone. I am constantly editing my material. With every read-through, I find something I want to change... mostly little things like sentence structure, replacing individual words, or typos, but I still do it. I can't stand leaving a mistake posted when I know it's there.

Kishimoto-san's characters and series. My story.

_Block of italics = flashback_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 18: Love**

"_Hinata…" I lectured, "I can't believe you'd do something so reckless. Neji was worried sick!"_

_It was true. It was the first time I had ever seen him show any type of emotion._

"_I… I… Gomen, Sakura-san."_

"_What exactly possessed you to do that, anyway?"_

"_I… wanted… to help Naruto-kun. I love him."_

_I remembered coming to that realization long ago, but to hear it directly from her had an even bigger impact. It might have been the boldest thing I'd ever heard her say._

"_So, does he know?"_

"_I told him." I noticed that her stutter had almost completely gone away over time. She had matured a lot, but she was still innocent little Hinata. _

_Actually, "little" was hardly the correct word. I'd seen the size of her boobs when I had to open her jacket to heal her. She could seduce and corrupt Naruto in seconds with those things. I struggled to keep my protective nature in check._

"_So… what now?"_

"_I don't know…" __She tapped her index fingers together, looking harmless again. _

_It was impossible to see her as a threat to Naruto's virtue or heart, no matter how big her chest was. She was just too cute and sweet. I knew she was serious when she said she loved him, too. It had been obvious since she first saw him._

"_I'll tell you what," I said to her. "I will send him your way as soon as I see him. But you have to promise me something."_

"_What is that, Sakura-san?"_

"_You have to promise to take really good care of him."_

_"I-I promise," Konoha's most humble noble replied with a small smile and a blush._

_"Okay, then. Just don't hurt him, 'kay?"_

_'...or I'm comin' after ya,' Inner Sakura grumbled menacingly. _

_"Okay..." Her smile grew._

_I patted her shoulder, giving her a serious look for a few seconds to make sure she knew I was only half kidding. "Meanwhile, you need to rest."_

"_S-Sakura-san?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Can you do something for me?"_

"_What do you need?" I snapped from "watchful sister" mode back into "medic" mode. _

"_Tell Lee-san how you feel."_

_I was speechless. I could only stare at the girl with the all-seeing eyes._

"_Don't wait until a life-or-death situation like I did. You have time now to say it and have it mean something. You know he returns your feelings."_

_I felt a wrenching in my chest for the poor girl who had loved Naruto for longer than Lee had loved me. _

'_I really hope he opens his eyes and realizes how much he'd be losing by passing her up…' I thought. 'But I'll probably have to push him along. Baka.'_

"..._Arigato, Hinata-sama."_

_

* * *

_

Sakura sighed contentedly. "What a great lunch, Lee! You're an amazing cook."

Nobody had ever complimented my cooking before. Then again, I had never prepared food for anyone but myself.

"Arigato. I was afraid it would be too spicy."

"No way! There's no such thing as curry that's too spicy!" She swelled, proud that she could keep up with my "manly" affinity for hot foods. I could not suppress my amusement. She was the world to me.

"I am glad to know you have a mouth made of asbestos like I do, my lovely."

"You know, Lee-kun," she teased me for my propriety with the honorific, "I might start to get confused if you don't settle on just one term of endearment."

"What ever do you mean, my sweet flower? My darling angel? My precious beauty beyond compare? Sakura-chan?"

She stuck out her tongue and gave me a soft thump on the chest with a fist that would usually be considered a deadly weapon.

"That's just what I mean. How do I know you're not just getting me mixed up with all your _other_ girlfriends?"

"Well, dear heart, do you have a preference?"

She stood up suddenly, reaching for something from her weapons pouch.

"Is everything all right, Sakura?" I tensed, preparing to spring into a fighting stance. "Do you sense enemy chakra?"

She smirked at me. I was utterly lost until she lifted her hand, brandishing a hair brush.

"Calm down," she forced out, fighting the urge to snicker. "I just decided… that 'do has got to go!"

Our laughter subsided as she settled on her knees behind me.

"Geez. Could you be any taller? I almost have to stand up to reach the top of your head when you're _sitting_!"

"Gomen. Shall I lie down?" I was becoming more comfortable with her. Joking and flirting were easier for me now.

Sakura's voice softened. "Sure."

She touched my shoulders and guided me backward, placing my head in her lap. I could not avoid blushing at this, but I was in no mood to complain.

She brushed my hair gently. It was so relaxing and so intensely intimate at the same time. No one had touched my hair this way since I was a small child. Tenten would trim it from time to time, but that hardly counted. This was pure, caring contact, not just calculated snips.

I felt such a strong connection to her through something so simple. It felt like we should be alone, not in plain view of every passerby.

Her eyes were especially green this afternoon. They were captivating.

"I think I prefer 'Sakura-chan.'"

I was intrigued by this choice. "Really? Why is that?"

She twisted her pretty pink lips into a thoughtful pout. She looked so kissable, but I wanted to hear her answer.

"It's simple. And it's not too mushy. At least not to outsiders. But to us, it means much more. Right, Lee-kun?"

"You are right... Sakura-chan." She tilted her face down to me and I could not resist kissing her any longer. I savored the feel of her fingers on my scalp as she combed them through my hair.

I knew I should not have told her about that dream. I was most certain that I looked like an idiot, grinning and blushing at her the way I was then.

"But I do not know if I can force myself to use such a _plain_ moniker for you, my love."

I immediately wished I could take back the last word. I had promised myself not to use that word until Sakura felt comfortable using it, too.

"Gomen... I know that you are not..."

"It's okay."

She seemed to be forever forgiving my missteps. What had I done to deserve her?

"Because I am. I'm ready to say it."

My heart leapt into my throat.

She smiled that wonderful smile that makes the sun envious, just like the day I first saw her, and the day I first caught a glimpse of her growing affection for me. Her eyes were liquid emerald as she looked down at me.

"I love you… Lee-kun."

I had thought I would never have a happier moment than our first kiss, but I was wrong. I sat up and took her hands.

"I love you, my jewel… my one and only… my Sakura-chan."

I decided with the kiss that followed that I would never tire of her lips on mine. I could kiss her forever. In fact, forever could have started right then and I would have never missed eating or sleeping or being a ninja. I would have kissed her endlessly and never looked back.

Sakura looked at her watch. "Damn… I have to get back."

"I will walk with you."

I picked up the picnic basket. Doshi, who had been napping there, awoke. He hopped onto my shoulder, looking first at my hair and then at the brush Sakura was returning to her weapons pouch. He made what I thought was a sound of approval.

'_Great; now my so-called "best friend" is in cahoots with __two__ of the women in my life_,' I thought.

I sighed, knowing I would have it no other way.

"Arigato, Lee-kun!" I heard Sakura say as we reached the hospital, reclaiming my attention from my daydreaming. "Will I see you tonight?"

"Yes, if my Sakura-chan wishes it so."

"Well, she does." With that, she gave me a light, sweet goodbye kiss.

I heard a shriek as the door in front of us opened.

"Yuck, you two! Get a room!"

"Ino-san has a comment for every situation, does she not?" I chuckled.

"She's just jealous. She doesn't have a loving man to call her his jewel."

"Oh, you like that name, do you?"

"You can use it from time to time, but I still prefer Sakura-chan."

"As you wish, Jewel-chan."

My silliness was rewarded with a giggle and another "I love you."

"I love you, too."

I watched her walk back into the hospital, then turned toward the training ground. I had exactly 4 hours, 58 minutes and 37 seconds to finish training before she finished her work day.


	19. What Is This Feeling?

A/N: Creative "chakra" has been a bit low lately. Lots going on in the real world for me. Plus I think I've bitten off more than I can chew with having 4 chapter fics going at once. Damn the plot bunnies and their reluctance to be oneshots. "Wounded" was meant to be a oneshot, and now I've written 10 chapters. My husband called it "pulling a Stephen King." Heh.

Anyway, I think it's high time for the obligatory "Reviewer Roll Call" for this story:

**InvaderWeb (OMG I miss you! Come back and update your story plzkthx!)**

******Lady C –SWT-**

**CelticDragonQueens**

**White Haired Teen**

**Bakemono Hana**

**Hugs Lee 13**

**JessykaRenee**

**Stormlight **

**Genial Hinata**

**Youkolvr**

**Lady Dark Angel**

**Ishasuki Mitochi**

**Lotus2490**

**Krillin Fan**

**laughannie711**

**yourfisharemine**

**Vanya Starwind **

**nejitenteji10sasu10**

**Sai the Black Rose **

**SilverWolfStar **

**kaerfemina **

**Flavicat **

**XxGaarasluverxX**

Muchos gracias por your encouraging/helpful/funny/cute reviews! :-D

**pharix** - thanks for all the comments and ideas via PM.

**makura_moderski** – thanks for being an awesome beta and for the super ego-boosting comments!

I know… more mush in this chapter, but drama is assured in the next… maybe some action, too!

**Japanese glossary:**

Kumogakure - Hidden Cloud Village (referred to here as "Kumo" for short)

Ohayo – Good morning

Gomen nasai – a more formal/serious apology than "Gomen" alone

The Naruto series is still the creation and property of Kishimoto-san.

* * *

**Chapter 19: What Is This Feeling?**

Lee and I followed a pattern for the next few weeks: I would go to work in the morning. He'd meet me for lunch, train until I got off work, then pick me up so we could spend time together before I had to go home to bed. Sometimes he would take me out to dinner or a movie. Other times we would have tea and cuddle and talk in his cozy little apartment. Now that Tsunade-sama had recovered and returned to work, I had weekends off again. Lee and I were inseparable between Friday evening and Monday morning.

"I never see you anymore," Tenten pouted one Friday morning when she joined me on my walk to the hospital. "Another one bites the dust."

It was true. It seemed like almost every girl we knew was paired off with someone… except for Ino. She couldn't pick just one guy. Her current flavor of the week hailed from Suna. I'd finally prodded Naruto into asking Hinata out, and they'd been on a couple of dates. It wasn't anything serious yet, but it was a start.

"It just gives you something else in common with Neji," I pointed out. "You're both single."

"Sakura…"

"Seriously, Ten. Just ask him out already."

"I'd only humiliate myself."

Dating Tenten's other male teammate had its advantages. One of those was being privy to some fun facts about the broody Hyuuga.

"A little green birdie named Lee told me Neji likes you," I singsonged.

"What?" She stopped in her tracks and gawked at me, mouth hanging open like a fish.

"You heard me... Neji likes you!"

"No way."

"Yes way… Go ask him out. Now. Don't walk. Run. Go!" I bounced on my toes to emphasize my plea.

"O-okay… Arigato! Have a good day!" She hugged me and high-tailed it in the direction of her team's training ground.

I had barely made it through the door before someone else grabbed my attention.

"Forehead Girl!" Ino called when she saw me. "Ohayo!"

"Ohayo, Ino-Pig." I grinned at her.

"I wanna talk to you about something later, 'kay?" She winked at me, instantly making me suspicious.

"Sure…" I said warily as she flounced down the hall to see a patient.

I was busy enough to dodge her for the rest of the day, until she cornered me at the end of my shift.

"Okay… spill," she prompted when she found me changing in the locker room.

"Spill what?" I asked, knowing exactly what she wanted to know about. She had such a one-track mind. Juicy gossip was her life blood.

She lowered her voice, even though nobody else was around.

"You know - you and Lee. Have you guys… _done it_ yet?"

She made it sound so tawdry, like the sordid affairs you read about in the tabloids. If you could count on Ino for anything, it was to be blunt. Straight. No chaser.

"Um… no. And even if we had, I wouldn't tell you."

"Sakura, that hurts." She gave me an irritated look that didn't match her words. "We used to be super, mega close. You told me about your fling with that shinobi in Kumo when you were stationed there, and I never said a word to anyone!"

My face felt hot. "You remember that? How do you manage to keep track of all the dirt you get on people? Doesn't it get tiring?"

"I do crosswords and Sudoku… and listen to lots of public radio." She pointed to her head. "I've got a steel trap."

"Well, the fact remains that we're not…" I lowered my voice, too. "…sleeping together."

Lee was still way too timid to even come close to something that intimate. We'd finally gotten to the point where he'd open his mouth during a kiss without apologizing immediately afterward.

"You think you will?"

"Ino!"

"Well?"

"Maybe. Eventually."

"I've heard you being all mushy with the 'love' word. It can't be too far off. When guys say that, they expect something."

"He's been saying that since we met."

"He's wanted to get into your pants since you met!"

I blew off her crass statement. "I can't believe we're talking about this. Lee's a gentleman."

"Gentlemen have needs, too… Plus he works out all the time. That's extra testosterone."

"This discussion is over." I pulled on my tank top and slammed my locker shut.

"Awww… don't be mad. I was just playing!"

I walked out with a prominent streak of pink across my face. I just hoped it would go away before I saw the subject of our conversation.

Fortunately, Lee didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. I could tell he'd come running over straight from the training field.

"Gomen for being such a mess," he said. "I did not have time to shower before coming to pick you up."

His skin was shiny. His hair was disheveled. He was beautiful.

"I heard Tenten and Neji have a date tomorrow night. My Sakura-chan would not have dispensed any 'classified' information, would she?" His gaze was warm and knowing.

I took his hand and smirked as we began to walk. "Me? Never."

I couldn't help but think about Ino's question. Why _wouldn't_ I want Lee? First of all, I knew I loved him. I was certainly physically attracted to him. He had an amazing body. He was sure to be attentive and chivalrous. Not to mention my weird reaction to seeing him after a workout. He was just so _sexy_ when he'd worked up a sweat.

'_I am such a weirdo,_' I thought as we made our way back to his place_. 'If he knew what I was thinking right now, he'd be __so__ grossed out."_ I pictured the look of horror that hearing my thoughts would elicit from him.

"What is the matter?" His concerned voice pulled me away from my inner monologue.

"Oh, nothing… just thinking about something at work."

"You are off the clock now." He lifted my hand to kiss it. "You do not have to worry about work until Monday."

Being this close to him while he was exuding the post-exercise pheromones was intoxicating. Lee took my momentarily wobbly knees as a sign of exhaustion.

"What on Earth was I thinking, asking you to walk all this way? You have been on your feet all day! Allow me to carry you!" He bent down so I could climb onto his back.

"No… I'm fine…" I remembered the time he'd tried to give Neji a piggyback ride and couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Please?" He gave me the most pitiful sad-puppy face in the world.

"Okay…"

I couldn't avoid feeling every ripple of his muscled back between my thighs as he ran. The bandages on his hands were rough against my legs.

"Are you sure everything is all right?" Lee asked. "You seem tense."

"Just afraid this might be tiring you out," I lied. I knew better than to doubt Lee's energy levels, but I had to say something. "You've been working out pretty hard."

"Nonsense! You are so light; it is no trouble at all."

He crouched to allow me to dismount. I hadn't realized we were there already. I put my feet on the ground.

"Besides," he added as he turned around, "I will never tire of carrying the woman I love."

We kissed briefly. Or at least Lee tried to make it brief. I decided to draw it out a little longer. He took my face in his hands and pulled away gently.

"Perhaps we can continue this inside…" That blush I was enamored with was back.

'_I'm gonna hold you to that,'_ Inner Sakura proclaimed.

He opened the door and quickly escaped my reach, turning to the kitchen.

"Would you like some tea?"

"No, thanks."

"I will be back in just a few minutes, then. I need to clean up." He looked down at his jumpsuit, covered in soil and splinters from the trees he kicked and punched to shreds on the training ground.

"As usual, help yourself to anything you would like." He motioned to the refrigerator.

"Okay."

He came back over to me for a moment, placing a kiss on the top of my head. "I love you, Sakura-chan."

"I love you, too, Lee-kun."

With that, he disappeared into his room, where the adjoining bathroom waited.

I sat on the couch, leafing through a newspaper, trying to keep my thoughts at bay. What had come over me? The suggestive things Tenten said hadn't gotten to me.

Maybe it was because we hadn't spent that much time together alone yet. Maybe it was because we hadn't yet kissed or held each other. I hadn't brushed his silky hair and watched his face light up when I told him I loved him for the first time. All of those things culminated in this sudden new feeling – what was it? Was it desire?

I hadn't thought much about it because of how proper and unassuming he was. I'd never thought about us in that kind of context because it never came up, and he was too polite and respectful to bring it up. It would be up to me.

"I am back."

I turned to look at Lee as he tossed his towel into the laundry basket. He looked perfect when he was freshly showered, I thought. He literally glowed. In place of his jumpsuit, he wore green shorts and a grey t-shirt.

"Come here, you." I beckoned him over to the couch, and planted a firm kiss on his lips, snaking my arms around his neck. "Now, where were we?"

"I think," he replied with a grin, his arms encircling my waist, "we were right..."

He kissed my right cheek.

"…about…"

He kissed my left cheek, then touched his nose to mine, teasing me with proximity.

"…here." I finished his sentence and closed the gap.

When we separated, his cheeks were beet red. I wasn't surprised. It was, after all, only the third or fourth time we'd shared an open-mouthed kiss, and I could admit that I got a little greedy.

"My goodness, you have scrambled my brains, love. I have forgotten what I was going to ask you."

"You seem to like it when I brush your hair… May I?" I offered in what I hoped was an innocent tone, looking up to his mussed, towel-dried locks.

"That was it," he remembered, showing me a shy expression. "You have read my mind. Yes. That would be very nice."

I moved over to permit him access to the couch, instructing him to recline with his head on my legs, just as before. I pulled my brush out of my spare weapon pouch and went to work. He closed his eyes and sighed happily.

"Your hair is so soft… and it smells amazing," I observed. I recalled an awkward exchange from our first date, and decided to heckle him about it. I loved getting mileage out of the adorable, silly things he did.

I did my best Lee impersonation (which was still, by all standards, pretty crummy). "Not that your hair usually smells _bad_… and I certainly do not _follow_ you around _smelling_ your hair… that would be most crude and indecent…"

He chuckled. "You make fun of me now, but I got to kiss you at the end of that night, so I had the last laugh."

"We both did." I leaned down to smooch him again.

This time, to my surprise, he kept going when I moved to end it. I had been trying to behave myself after the last kiss, but I guessed that it encouraged him to be a little bolder. This didn't offend me a bit. I reciprocated.

He held the nape of my neck with one hand as he pushed himself up with the other, inadvertently scooting into a sitting position in my lap. I couldn't help but be amused at the awkward moment.

"This will not do at all…" he laughed nervously. He stood and gently took the hairbrush from my hand, placing it on the table beside the couch. Then he scooped me up into his arms and sat, swapping positions with me.

"Much better." He still looked a little embarrassed.

"Agreed." I actually thought he was pretty darn cute sitting in my lap, but thought better of telling him so.

"Now…" He was trying to sound cool, but his voice wavered a bit as he echoed my flirty question from before. "Wh-where were we again?"

I didn't bother with the cutesy stuff like he had. I just dove right back in. I heard him gasp just before I took his lips.

After a few stunned seconds, he started to respond. One hand supported my back while the other rested on my shoulder. His thumb skimmed slowly back and forth across my bare collarbone. It made me feel tingly. This simple, harmless show of affection was driving me up the wall. He was blissfully unaware of this fact until I pulled him closer, letting a small whimper escape from my mouth into his.

He immediately broke the kiss. His hands left my body.

"Are you all right, Sakura-chan?" His face registered a look of pure fear.

I had a very difficult time not bursting into laughter or groaning from frustration.

"Shhh… It's okay," I reassured, snuggling against him.

"You sounded like you were in pain…" He looked at the floor, clearly upset with himself.

"No…" I touched his cheek, encouraging him to look up at me. "You didn't hurt me… What were you doing that could hurt me?"

"I do not rightly know…. but…." His eyes met the carpet again. "I… do not have much experience with this sort of thing."

I tried to ease the tension with humor. "Well, what do you take me for? You think I go around making out with guys all the time?"

Bad idea. He was too worked up.

"N-n-no! I would NEVER insinuate something like that about you!" He looked like he might cry.

I slid down onto the cushion beside him. I softly combed his hair with my fingers.

"I was just kidding. It's okay, Lee… everything is fine."

"Gomen nasai." He hugged me tightly. "I did not mean to ruin the evening." His heart was beating like he had a wild bird trapped in his chest.

Was the self-assured, hard-working taijutsu expert I knew and loved still _that_ insecure underneath all the boundless energy and "youthfulness?"

"You haven't ruined anything," I soothed. "I understand. You're always being so considerate of me… Arigato."

I hugged him back, putting my head on his shoulder.

"Sakura?"

"Hm?" I lifted my head to look at him.

"Why did you make that noise if I was not hurting you?" He was so naïve that it made me feel like a predator.

Even though I had no problem with him knowing what my body language implied, it was very difficult to say it out loud. I tried not to feel too self-conscious as I gave him the explanation that would ease his panic.

"Well…. I was… enjoying it."

His owl-like eyes opened as wide as humanly possible with the realization.

"R-really?" he practically hooted.

"Yeah."

"Oh." To my relief, his smile returned.

He took my hand and held it to his cheek. "I love you more than anything else in this world, Sakura. I would do anything for you. All you have to do is ask. You know that, right?"

That gave me an idea. "If that's true, I'd like to ask you to do something for me."

"Anything for you, my jewel."

"Lighten up!"

He looked as if the request had caught him off guard, though honestly, what did he expect me to ask of him? A rare tiger cub from the depths of Africa? A pirate's treasure? A castle in the sky? The insane part was I had no doubt in my mind that as preposterous as it seemed, he would risk life and limb to get all of those things for me if I told him I wanted them.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" I calculated my next words carefully. "I mean that it's okay to kiss me. It's okay to touch me. Don't be scared. Just go with your feelings. If something's wrong, I'll tell you. It's no fun when you're all wound up with worry." I slowly crept back up into his lap as I spoke.

"I will try my best."

"Will you do one more thing for me?"

"Absolutely. What is it?"

"Can you help me pick up where we left off?" I gave him a sad-puppy face that I hoped was at least half as persuasive as his. "Pretty please?"

It evidently was, because his hands slowly returned to my back and shoulder and we proceeded.

He heard me sigh as he rubbed my collarbone again. He must have really taken what I said to heart, because his thumb was quickly replaced. I felt my pulse rate increasing as his lips left a light, tickling trail across my shoulder and down the inside of my arm. I had to bite my tongue to keep from shivering.

He nuzzled my neck. "I hope this is all right." Was he only pretending to be nervous before? I started to wonder while I melted.

I suddenly sounded breathy and crazy. "Yes… It's more than all right."

"Good," he whispered, looking almost smug about his ability to reduce me to mush.

I decided it was my turn to play with his buttons. I kissed his jawline, working my way down to where it met his throat.

"Sakura…" His vocal cords vibrated under my lips.

"Yes?" I purred into his ear.

He was at a loss for words. He just stared at me.

He looked different now.

He looked… hungry.

I shifted my body so that I was facing him, my legs on either side of his. I guided his hands to my hips, and he pulled me closer. Our contact became more urgent. Frantic. Passionate.

He ravenously traversed my shoulders and neck with his mouth. When he looked back up at me, the transformation was complete. This was not Rock Lee, the bumbling teenage boy. This was Rock Lee, the man.

"You have such sweet-tasting skin." His breath was jagged.

There was a knock on the door. Lee gave a startled jolt beneath me.

"Don't answer it…" I whined, wiggling in his lap. I knew that move was unfair, but I was desperate. "Stay with me. Pretend you're not home."

"Very well. You win. You always win. It does not seem very fair, does it?" Dark, smoldering eyes met mine, paired with a seductive pout. It was almost more than I could stand.

"But alas, I gave you my word – anything my Sakura-chan wishes for, my Sakura-chan shall have." Our tongues retangled themselves, and we were back in our own world, oblivious to all else.

Until there was another knock on the damn door.

"Ugh!" I growled. What could be so important at this hour that it couldn't wait?

"Sakura! I know you're in there!" yelled a male voice from the other side of the door. I was so annoyed, I didn't even bother trying to recognize it.

"It's probably Naruto or Sai with some stupid question…" I grumbled to Lee. I reluctantly stood, smoothed my hair and clothes, and gave him one final kiss before crossing the room.

I yanked the door open, wearing my most threatening glare, poised to chakra-punch whichever of my annoying teammates felt the need to harass me this late at night.

My entire demeanor came crashing to the ground when I saw who the unexpected visitor was.

"S-Sasuke… kun?"

* * *

A/N: Much longer chapter than I anticipated writing, but I figured it was about time to address the physical side of this relationship…

It was SO hard to write a makeout scene with Lee. He's just so sweet and innocent and pure. It's hard to picture him doing things like that, even with Sakura. I spent two days working on that part alone. I had to keep reworking it because it didn't seem in character at all. Wolfie-chan, that is why I didn't publish this yesterday like I said I was planning to… this vexing love scene!

I have to admit that sexy Lee is _uber _sexy. I really hope the progression works… I wanted it to escalate kind of fast because of all the repressed hormones breaking the flood gates, but I thought he'd be able to restrain himself for a short while.

Anyway, I've got some ideas swirling around in my head for Chapter 20 already. I just have to get them into some sort of order so they make sense.

InvaderWeb, I know exactly what you mean now about wanting to cram more and more into a single chapter… that's how I felt with this one. I am looking forward to seeing some sexy Lee from you soon, too. ;)

I promise I will update "At The End Of The Day" and "The Plot Thickens" soon… and of course "Wounded" is still going. I have a poll related to that story on my profile page – worded to lessen the chance of a spoiler for people who haven't read it.

Read, review, alert and fave as always, peeps. I promise to protect you until the day I die.

*Nice Guy Pose*

*Tooth sparkle*

Sorry about the super-long author note junk on this chapter. I will try to limit that from now on.


	20. Old and New

A/N: I got so excited at the end of the last chapter when the ideas started to flow for this one so quickly… Thanks, in large part, to **makura_moderski** – you are a lifesaver!

I really wanted to get this posted ASAP, so there might be some typos, but I will edit them later after I've had some sleep. Please point out anything that you see.

Not nearly as long as the last chapter, but I tried. Please review!

**Japanese Glossary: **Make-inu – Loser; underdog. Literally, "dog that gets the worst of it in a fight."

Kishimoto-san is still the creator and owner of the "Naruto" manga and anime.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Old and New**

I pitied the ill-fated man on the other side of the door. My Sakura-chan was ready to pummel him.

I never understood the raw, sensual power of a woman's anger until the moment that voice tore her away from me. Her seamless transition from temptress to warrior left me with a buzz of insanity. She was terrifying, but in a thrilling way, like cliff diving.

I wished I had begged, just as she had, to stay together instead of answering. I wanted to ghost my lips across her bare shoulders and have her excited breath in my ears again. Let the fool on the doorstep keep crowing. We could ignore it.

All those thoughts ceased when I heard her speak.

"S-Sasuke… kun?"

I must have misheard her. It could not be _him_.

"Sakura-chan, who is it?"

She was still and pale, her arms hanging limply at her sides.

A vile, mocking hiss issued from the doorway as I approached it. "You heard the man, _Sakura-chan_... Tell him who it is."

"Sasuke…" she repeated in shock.

I wrapped myself around her defensively as I looked into evil onyx eyes.

* * *

I stood in the doorway, staring at my long-lost teammate - the boy I used to love. It was unbelievable. Naruto had worked for years to bring him back, and here he was, of his own free will. I had a feeling this was not a friendly visit.

"Uchiha." Lee's strong arms were around me then.

"Make-inu," Sasuke replied icily. "You still harbor the delusion that you can defend her, I see."

"What do you want?"

"That's something I need to talk with Sakura about."

There I was, trapped between my childhood dream and my reality; my heartbreak and my happiness; my old and new. And I was completely helpless in the moment. I was always helpless when it came to Sasuke, whether I wanted it or not.

Wait. No, I wasn't. Not anymore. Not with Lee by my side. He would not let me be helpless. He would not accept my resignation. I came out of his hold and found my voice.

"Sasuke… what are you doing here? You're a missing-nin and a known associate of Orochimaru and Akatsuki. You'll be dead if anyone sees you."

"I highly doubt that," he replied haughtily. "Regardless, I've come to ask a favor of you."

Lee stepped forward. "There are no _favors_ to be had here. Be gone." His voice was deadly.

Sasuke crossed the threshold, advancing until the two were toe-to-toe. His eyes swirled red, activating his Sharingan.

"I would expect someone as reputably well-mannered as you to know better than to talk out of turn," he sneered at Lee, who fearlessly stood his ground.

Sasuke addressed me, not taking his eyes off Lee. "Sakura…"

I really wished he'd stop saying my name. It creeped me out. I hated this new Sasuke.

"I would recommend you tell your little pet here to shut up and get out of the way if you're at all concerned about his health… not that I'd blame you if you weren't, but I know you've always had a soft spot for the _pathetic_ ones."

Lee's face was red with rage. I felt the same, but I had to keep my cool. If the rumors were true, Sasuke could kill us both in an instant. I couldn't risk making him angry.

"Why don't you just get to the point?" I asked through clenched teeth, pulling an extremely resistant Lee behind me. "Why are you here?"

"I would like," he said slowly, shamelessly looking me up and down, "to talk to Sakura in private." He peered over my shoulder at Lee, a sadistic smirk twisting his features.

Lee struggled to keep himself from erupting. "You will do no such thing! This is my home and I will not allow it."

"Are you not going to let the lady decide, halfwit?"

"I do not think there is anything to decide. She is not going to help you."

"I'm starting to question this guy's intentions, Sakura…" Sasuke looked back to me, obviously deriving great pleasure from torturing Lee. "Listen to him… speaking for you, forbidding you to talk to people. Is this the kind of man you want?"

"That is none of your concern," I snapped.

I turned to Lee. "Please let me speak for myself," I entreated. "I don't see the harm in hearing Sasuke out. If he wants to talk alone, so be it. We'll go to my apartment."

In a split second, Lee's expression changed from unadulterated loathing to a mixture of hurt and alarm.

"G-Gomen nasai, Sakura-chan… You do not have to leave. I will. I shall wait outside. Do not hesitate to call for me if you need anything."

He tucked my hair behind my ear and softly kissed my forehead.

"I love you, my sweet cherry blossom," he whispered, as if it were the last time he would ever see or talk to me.

He departed and closed the door behind him. I inwardly heaved a sigh of relief that he'd caught on to what I was trying to get him to do – give me privacy with Sasuke, but stay nearby.

"You actually care for that Neanderthal?" Sasuke condescended. "Isn't he a bit possessive?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "It's called 'caring.' Guys do that sort of thing for their girlfriends."

"Ah… you see? He's even put his brand on you."

"I proudly wear it."

"Well, imagine that… Haruno Sakura, future wife of the sorriest excuse for a ninja in all of the Five Shinobi Nations. What a waste of potential. Your children will be talentless freaks."

It took every fiber of my self-control to resist the urge to punch him with the biggest ball of chakra I could muster.

"That's enough, Sasuke. Just tell me what you want."

"You."

"Excuse me?" I started to back up, not paying attention to which direction I was going. I just needed to get away from him.

"You, Sakura. I want you to come away with me. I have a job for you." He took steady, measured steps toward me.

"I won't." The backs of my legs hit the kitchen table and I started to lose my balance.

"You will…" He was suddenly on top of me, pushing me back onto the hard surface and pinning me down by my left shoulder. "Even if I have to take you by force…" He gripped my right thigh and pulled my leg around his hip.

"Sasuke…" I gasped.

Was he going to rape me? Right there, in Lee's apartment, with him just outside? I thought I might vomit. Sasuke leaned forward, rasping into the ear Lee had just touched.

"What's the matter? Are you scared to find out what a _real_ man is like?" He slid his fingers under the leg of my shorts and dug his nails into my skin, leaving deep scratches. I clamped my mouth closed to muffle a scream.

"I wouldn't be so loud if I were you," he whispered dangerously. "If he interferes, I _will_ kill him."

He removed his other hand from my shoulder to savagely grasp at my hair – a test. I was able to endure the pain silently, taking a deep breath through my nose. He looked pleased with my resolve.

"You will both remain unharmed if you do as I say."

I nodded, refusing to cry. "What do you want me to do?"

"You'll know soon enough. First, I need to get you out of here."

He ran his cold fingers along the length of the scratches he'd inflicted. My skin crawled.

"You have to make him think you're leaving willingly."

"Okay," I consented, hoping it would make him stop touching me.

If Sasuke thought he could seduce me into doing his bidding, then he was dead wrong. He repulsed me. Keeping Lee safe was all I had on my mind. I'd worry about the rest later.

He released me. "Very good. You have 15 minutes."

* * *

Doshi had retreated through the window when Sakura opened the door to the man currently holding her hostage in my living room. He dropped to the front yard from the roof when he saw me.

"What is taking so long?" I asked him, not expecting an answer, of course; I just needed to give myself a reason to stop holding my breath.

After what felt like hours, the door opened. Sakura appeared to be a bit shaken, but otherwise unscathed.

"I need to talk to you in your room, Lee-kun." She held out her hand for me to hold and tugged me behind her. I did not look at Sasuke as we passed him.

As soon as the door closed, I hugged her tightly, relieved to have her back in my sight. "What is wrong, darling?"

I knew something was monumentally wrong when she pushed me away. My heart fractured.

She bit her lip. "I… I'm… leaving with Sasuke."

Every muscle in my body tensed, threatening to snap like rubber bands.

"No…"

"Yes. I have to."

"What? Why?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you everything when we get back, I promise."

"There must be something we can do… I can alert some of the others…." I slapped my forehead in realization. "I could have gathered a team to apprehend him by now! How could I have been so thoughtless?"

"It's okay…"

"No, Sakura… it is NOT!"

The room fell silent. I had never raised my voice to her in anger before. I instantly hated myself, but I knew now was not the time to punish myself for it. I went on.

"This is a situation that is the opposite of 'okay.' We need a plan."

"_I_ have a plan, Lee," Sakura pressed. "I'm leaving with him. Just for a while, to do a job for him. Then I'll be back and we can go back to the way things were."

"The way things were? Sakura, are you mad? Do you really think that…. that…." I reached for a fitting word that was not too vulgar. "…_serpent_ intends to leave the village alone, even if you go along with what he wants?"

"He said…"

"Never mind what he said! Do you not see? He is lying! Manipulating you, just as he always did. He cannot and should not be trusted. I thought you, of all people, would understand that."

"Please…" She was fighting back tears now. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

I knew I was hysterical by this point, but I did not care.

"I cannot let you leave with him! I _will not_ let you! You will become a fugitive. I would sooner die than be forced to hunt you like a common criminal, but it will be my duty as a ninja of the Leaf."

A single droplet trickled from a stormy green eye to an alabaster cheek.

"I still love him, Lee-san."

My fracture spread, forming a spider web and then crumbling to dust.

"Sakura…."

I did the only thing I could think of to snap her out of this ridiculous trance. I grabbed her shoulders and kissed her, with as much passion and wild abandon as I could force from my pores.

Do not ask me why I did it. I was in love, and the fear of losing that love made me delirious. It was not my proudest moment. I really was every bit as pathetic as the Uchiha snake had said.

"Stay," I pleaded with her. "Stay for us. Stay for me. I love you more than he ever has and ever will. I will spend the rest of my life proving it to you. I will do anything – just do not leave me!"

She hugged me, and her voice shook. "Goodbye, Lee-san. I hope you can forgive me one day."

I felt something prick the side of my neck, and then there was darkness.


	21. A Vow

Author's Note: I decided to go back and add some more meat to this, because it didn't seem like Lee had any propellant to suddenly spring into action before. Gai is great, but he's not that great of a motivational speaker without a story to tell! Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading about Gai's "precious person." Working on adding new material to this story as well – stay tuned.

* * *

**Chapter 21: A Vow**

I woke to a pounding noise that reverberated in my skull.

"Lee? Are you there?" I recognized the booming voice outside immediately.

There was a gauzy fog cast over everything when I slowly opened my eyes. I forced myself up from the floor, fighting dizziness as I trudged into the living room.

"Gai Sensei?" I croaked. My throat was incredibly dry.

"Yes, it's me. Is everything all right? You missed training this morning." He sounded more worried than I had heard him in quite a while.

After what felt like years, I finally reached the door and opened it. The brightness of the sunlight made me stumble backward. I was able to steady myself, but only barely.

My teacher reiterated his concern. "Lee, are you okay?"

"I…" My mind was blank. "I do not know."

I sat on the sofa, wracking my brain for memories while my vision gradually improved. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"What has happened to you? You're not acting like your usual, youthful self! Are you ill? Nobody slipped any saké into your tea last night, did they?"

The last question he asked was not as absurd as it would have sounded to an outsider. A medicine mishap after my surgery had revealed my Drunken Fist ability. Since then, my friends found novelty in attempting (and failing) to sneak alcohol into my food and beverages.

As those memories took residence in my mind, they were almost immediately pushed aside by a recollection of my last few moments of consciousness. I reached up to touch the side of my neck and found the tiny puncture.

"Sakura…"

"Sakura? What about her, Lee?"

The events of the previous evening came back with vivid detail: The white, shocked look on Sakura's face when she answered the door, the sinister glint in Sasuke's eyes, the pure, undiluted agony I felt as I watched her cry and listened to her tell me she loved him still, demoting me from "Lee-kun" back to "Lee-san.". Suddenly, I could feel the bare space in my chest where my heart had once been.

There was no sense in hiding or softening the truth. "She is gone… she left with Uchiha."

"Sasuke?" Gai Sensei placed his hand on my forehead momentarily. "My dear boy, are you running a fever? You're having delusions! There's no way he could sneak past the village's fortifications, much less kidnap your beloved Sakura. She is a lovely flower, but tough as well."

"She was not kidnapped."

I no longer cared that I had no moisture in my mouth and throat. In fact, the sore scratchiness provided me a strange, morbid relief; a miniscule distraction from my other pain.

My master looked at me as if I had said something crazy. Truly, it _was_ crazy. I never would have believed it myself had I not witnessed and suffered it.

"How could this happen?" He stared in disbelief. "This must be the result of mind-control jutsu or coercion of some other kind."

I knew I was the one to blame for this. She had walked away from me because Sasuke was right. I was the same miserable failure I had always been. She had betrayed me and the rest of the village because I was not worthy of her love. I could not make her stop loving him and I could not convince her to stay.

"It is my fault. I was not strong enough to stop her. She is gone and there is nothing more I can do."

My mentor of six years regarded me stoically.

"My son," he said, surprising me with the familial term (despite our closeness, he had never used it before), "Have I told you about my precious person? Well, aside from you and your teammates, of course."

I looked up at him and furrowed my brow. "No, you never have spoken of someone like that."

"Well, Lee…" he folded his arms over his chest. "As you know, I have a manly, tough-guy reputation to uphold. I can't look too soft, so I don't talk much about things like this. I carry them in my heart and that is enough."

"How long has this person been in your life?" I asked. Despite my groggy, hollow state, I was intrigued.

"Well, he – uh, she… _She_ and I met many years ago. We were about the same age you and Sakura were when you met, in fact. I loved her almost immediately and, as I saw you do, I began my youthful pursuit in the best way I knew how. I issued a challenge to impress her."

I felt a funny, flipping sensation in my stomach as I recalled the day I first saw Sakura. The reminiscent joy was tempered with the blood of the fresh wound she had left me with.

"However, I did not challenge another boy to be my rival – I challenged her, and she reluctantly accepted. "

My eyes were fixed intently on my mentor now. He gave me a warm smile, then his eyes drifted to the ceiling. His expression reminded me slightly of Tenten's "thinking of Neji" look.

"She has inspired and beguiled me ever since. Just as you adore your Sakura for all of her traits inside and out, I, too, cherish my precious person. She has an air of mystery about her, but I have come to understand her so well, it feels as though we knew each other before the Earth was born. She has wild, beautiful fair hair. She is quiet, but delightfully witty when she does choose to speak. She loves books. She is strong and swift of mind – my perfect counterpart in every way."

"Sensei, I am so happy for you!" I forced myself to grind out the sentiment with a smile, despite how wretched I felt. "I hope I too can find a love that wonderful one day." I struggled against tears.

"But, Lee… I did not tell you all of this to boast or to torture you; I have a good reason," Gai Sensei's eyes were back on mine and his features had changed from wistful to serious. "This story isn't the fairytale it seems."

I continued to listen expectantly.

"My love is, alas, unrequited. Even after all we've been through together, my feelings are very much one-sided. They most likely always will be."

Had it been present, my heart would have ached for my master. We were_ both_ losers who could not earn a woman's love. It was tragic. He must have sensed my despair, because he quickly continued.

"But that doesn't stop me from loving her still, and doing everything I can to assure she is safe and happy and has help whenever she needs it. She selected me as her second-in-command on one of the most important missions in her career – in mine, too, actually. Of all the shinobi of Konoha, she chose me, and I was fiercely loyal to her as I told her I would be. We have fought side by side many times. Our skills complement each other very well. She's a brilliant ninjutsu user. I consider it a blessing that I've been there on the rare occasions when her abilities have failed her. She was once so severely exhausted of chakra after a battle, she could not walk. I carried her home."

I had a strange moment of déjà vu. I thought I recognized a description of someone I knew. I assumed my impaired condition was playing tricks on me and refocused as the story went on.

"Another time, she was a hair's breadth from death. She's not much for romantic proclamations, but I had promised myself that I would protect her with my life if necessary. In this case, I did just that. I opened the Eighth Gate to defeat our foes and get her to safety."

"You almost died for this woman who does not even love you?"

"Yes... And I would do it over and over again. Love does not have to be returned to be real. Love is not a tangible object to_ be_ returned. It is a way of life – a way of youth!"

I sighed dejectedly. "I appreciate your effort to cheer me up with your parable, Gai Sensei, but…"

"Parable? This is no flight of fancy - this is real life! My precious person is just as real as yours is. If something like this happened to me, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to save and protect Kakashi. Even if I failed in the end or nothing changed between us as a result, I would at least know I gave it my all."

"I understand, but…"

I hesitated. Something he had said sounded very odd, especially given the familiarity I felt with the person he had described..

"What did you say her name was?" I was certain the drugs had not fully worn off and I had not heard him properly.

"Her name….? Oh! K-Kakami. Yes, her name is Kakami. But that's not the point. My point is that you made a promise to Sakura that you would always love and protect her, didn't you? "

"Yes, I did…" I replied, lowering my head in shame. "But it is over now. I did not fight hard enough. I failed her."

"No," Gai Sensei pressed, "not yet. You will fail her only if you give up, and I know that's not the kind of man you are! A splendid ninja NEVER gives up, especially when his precious person needs him most."

I felt new resolve growing inside me at his words. I could see clearly now, and I had gathered the strength to stand again.

It was of no consequence whether Sakura loved me or not. I would always love her, and I had promised to protect her with my life, no matter what. Whether she knew it or cared, she was in grave danger as long as Sasuke had her in his clutches. I _had_ to go after them. It would be cowardly and dishonorable to do otherwise.

"You are right, sir. A splendid ninja never gives up, and he never leaves a mission unfinished. I must bring her back!"

"There's my prized student!" Gai Sensei cried in relief as he slapped me on the back. "Let us report to Tsunade-sama and assemble a team to retrieve Sakura!"

"Hai! Arigato, Sensei!" I jumped to attention, offering a salute before racing back to my room for fresh clothes.


	22. New Teammates

A/N: Yes, I'm finally blowing the dust off this puppy and continuing it! The author of one of my favorite SakuLee fics on this site, **InvaderWeb,** finished her story a while back after quite a long hiatus. It inspired me. It's the best thing since chocolate, guys. Go read it. NOW.

I know most of you guys probably don't care, but I feel the need to give a reason for my long absence just as I have previously. I was very unhappy for a long time due to my job situation and such, which put a damper on my creativity. However, I moved several states away from home in the past couple of months to follow my husband in his career. It was difficult to leave family and friends behind, but I found a job I love and I'm adjusting to my new life. I do my best writing when I'm happy, so I feel attuned to my affinity toward writing again.

Anywho, I rewrote Chapter 21 to beef it up a bit, so please go back and read it again if you haven't already. It didn't seem to make sense that Lee was moved to action so easily, so I gave Gai a story to tell - Fun pairing subtext therein. ;) Authors, feel free to use what I wrote as an element for your own stories for that pairing - Just please credit me (It'll give me motivation to keep going with this story) and PM me a link because I'd love to read your work.

I know this chapter is short, but I am working on more. I promise. I was just itching to get something new posted!

Masashi Kishimoto is the creator/owner of all things "Naruto." I like to make up crazy stuff about his characters, though.

* * *

**Chapter 22: New Teammates**

Sasuke was standing at the door to Lee's bedroom when I emerged. Unsurprisingly, he'd listened to the whole thing. He mocked me with a slow clap.

"That was quite the performance, Sakura. You have that poor fool so tightly wound around your finger that he's practically jewelry, don't you? Pitiful, the way he begged you to stay. I almost believed that you _really wanted_ to run off with the big, bad rogue ninja…"

If I didn't despise Sasuke so much at that moment, the sardonic half-grin that appeared on his face would have verged on sexy. I brutally overruled the thought; instead, I concentrated on blinking away the last hint of very real tears. To save Lee's life, I'd had no choice but to deceive and sedate him, but I was completely miserable about it.

"Okay… Let's just go and get this over with," I said, crossing the room to the exit. I knew the easiest way to get through this would be to follow now and look for an opening to escape later. I didn't want to put anyone else at risk.

Suddenly, my wrists were yanked behind me, clenched in cold hands.

"Now, _Sakura-chan_," Sasuke taunted into my ear as a fringe of raven-black hair grazed my shoulder. "Is that any way to talk? I thought you still loved me."

I bit back a whine as a chill ran up my spine, brought on by the pain in my shoulder blades and a nagging feeling that I chose to ignore.

I managed to keep my voice steady. "Please, Sasuke… I have no idea what you want from me, but I want it to be as quick and painless as possible."

He released me. "Very well. We'll leave now before anyone discovers us."

The journey took such a long time that my muscles ached from running and hopping through treetops. We were silent throughout. It was so dark that there was no way I would be able to remember the route for backtracking purposes. I remembered the peanuts I carried in my spare weapons pouch for Doshi, and though I doubted it would do much good for anyone in a search party, I covertly dropped them at what I estimated to be quarter-kilometer intervals until I ran out. I also plucked and released inconspicuous strands of my hair and threads from the hems of my clothes when I was sure Sasuke wasn't looking.

I entered the hideout cautiously behind him when we arrived. We were met by 3 people: a bespectacled, surly-looking girl with blood-red hair and 2 guys - one large, orange-haired and muscled and the other lanky with white hair and striking violet eyes that pierced me from across the room.

"Sasuke... Who's the hottie?" the purple-eyed boy asked with a jagged smile.

"Are you _blind_, baka?" the redhead barked, a hint of envy in her voice. "She's not HOT! Look at her ENORMOUS forehead!"

Lavender looked scornfully at Scarlet. "Eat me, Four-Eyes…"

"Shut up - both of you!" Sasuke intervened impatiently. "Sakura is not here for her looks… she's here to help us."

The other, larger boy had been inspecting me pensively during the exchange between his two comrades. When he finally spoke, he was almost too quiet for me to hear.

"How so, Sasuke?"

"My source inside Konohagakure tells me she's a medical specialist. She's even the Hokage's apprentice. Isn't that right, Sakura?"

I nodded in astonishment. Who in Konoha could be Sasuke's informant?

The big, orange-haired male spoke again, jovially and with more volume this time.

"Sakura… Beautiful name. Welcome to the team, miss. You may call me Juugo."

Juugo approached and offered a hand for me to shake. I reached out and followed his lead numbly.

"Don't let his manners fool ya," the other boy interjected with a scary laugh. "He's a real bastard when he's mad. My name's Suigetsu, by the way."

The flame-locked female scowled at me and said nothing. Suigetsu didn't waste any time reacting to this.

"Don't be rude, bitch! Introduce yourself."

"Fuck you, asshole!" she shot back.

After glaring at the guys for a few seconds, she turned and greeted me in a flat, half-hearted tone.

"I'm Karin."

"Hi," I murmured, lacking anything better to say. It was the most awkward exchange I'd experienced in my whole life.

'_So,_' I thought as I rested on the lumpy bedroll Karin had constructed for me, _'Sasuke has chosen me to be the team's captive healer.'_

My mind reeled with the list of names that flashed in my head as possibilities for the one who'd sold the village (and me) out. Not a single person made sense…. Except for one. This person had aroused my suspicion from the first time I laid eyes on him. I hated to reach such an obvious conclusion, but the most evident solution is often correct. I tossed and turned all night long considering a course of action.


End file.
